Part 50 (1/2)
”Oh yes, herr. I am a little stiff and tired this morning, but that will be all gone by to-morrow; and I meant to take you up to a crystal cave to-day.”
Saxe looked at Dale's wondering face, and then burst into a hearty laugh.
”It is of no use to dwell upon troubles gone by, herr,” said Melchior.
”I shall get well quicker here than down at the chalet. How soon will you be ready to start?”
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
AN EXPEDITION.
There was no doubt about Melchior's willingness to make a fresh start that day; but none was made, Dale being of the opinion that a quiet rest in the neighbourhood of the camp would be of advantage to all concerned.
”Rest our bodies and our nerves too, Saxe,” he said. ”I am pretty strong in mind and muscle, but yesterday's business shook me in both. I can see it all constantly; and as for my arms, the strain upon them was terrific.”
”The herr is stopping about the tent to-day,” said Melchior to Saxe the first time he could get him alone, ”because he thinks I am too weak to go forward, and because he does not trust me as he did before. It is cruel of him, and he is mistaken. I had an accident, of course; but so do the best guides upon the mountains have accidents.”
”You are quite wrong,” replied Saxe, and he repeated all that Dale had said; but the guide did not seem to be satisfied, for he shook his head solemnly, and went about smoking his big pipe, looking despondent in the extreme; while the others spent the morning chipping the stones in search of minerals that might prove interesting, and of the various Alpine plants that luxuriated in the sheltered corners and ravines facing the south.
They had been collecting for some little time, when Saxe suddenly exclaimed--
”Well, I am disappointed!”
”What, at not going on some wild expedition to-day?”
”No: with these stones and flowers.”
”Why?” said Dale.
”Because there's nothing fresh. I've seen plants like that in Cornwall, and limestone like that in Yorks.h.i.+re.”
”Not exactly like it, boy; say similar.”
”Well, granite and limestone, then.”
”So you would, my lad, all over the world--Asia, Africa or America.”
”But I expected something so different; and I thought we were going to get magnificent great crystals, and I haven't seen any yet.”
”Did you expect to see them tumbling about anywhere on the mountain side, sir?”
”I thought they would be plentiful.”
”I did not. I fully expected that we should have a good deal of difficulty in finding them. If they were easily found, they would be common and of no value. Wait a bit, and I dare say we shall discover a crystal cavern yet.”
”Well, then, the flowers and moss: I expected to find all kinds of fresh things.”
”Did you?”