Part 36 (1/2)
Just at that moment, from out of the darkness, about fifty yards away, the cry rose again, but short and sudden, like a bit of the f.a.g end of the shriek which had roused them from their sleep.
”There!” cried Saxe.
”Yes, herr--there!” said the guide, and he began to laugh silently.
”Why, it quite startled me. I ought to have known.”
”What was it?” cried Dale, as the curious wild cry seemed still to be ringing in his ears.
”What was it, herr? Don't you know?”
”Of course not.”
”It was Gros.”
”The old mule?” cried Saxe. ”Oh, I wish I was close by him with a stick.”
”I suppose he feels the cold. No, stop: it can't be that,” added the guide, as if suddenly struck by an idea. ”There must be a reason for his crying out.”
He walked away hurriedly into the darkness, and they followed, to hear him talking directly after to the mule, which responded with a low whinnying sound.
”Perhaps the poor brute has slipped into a hole or a crack in the rock,”
suggested Dale; but as they drew nigh they could see the mule standing out dimly in the darkness, and the guide close by his neck.
”Have we overdriven him?” said Saxe. ”Is he ill?”
”You couldn't overdrive Gros, herr,” said Melchior quietly.
”Why not?”
”You heard what old Andregg said to us, Gros would not be overdriven, herr; he would lie down when he had done as much work as he felt was enough.”
”What's the matter, then? Is he ill?”
”No, herr; his coat is smooth and dry.”
”I know,” cried Saxe.
”You know, herr?”
”Yes; of course, he has been trying to find enough to eat amongst these stones, and there is scarcely anything. He is hungry, and crying out for supper.”
”Oh no, herr. I showed him where he could find plenty of green shoots, and I gave him half a loaf of black bread as well before we had our meal.”
”Then he wants kicking for waking us up like this.”
”No, herr,” said the guide drily; ”and it is bad work to kick Gros. He is a very clever animal, and can kick much harder than a man. I remember Pierre kicking him once, and he kicked back and nearly broke the man's leg.”
”Then don't kick him. But what is the matter with him?”