Part 62 (2/2)
”I accept your apology, herr,” said the guide quietly.
”Then we will say no more about it; so come and sit down and join us.”
”The herr wishes it?”
”Yes, of course.”
Melchior sat down quietly and gravely, and the meal went on without further reference to the unpleasant incident; but Dale grew eager about their work on the next day, chatting about the size of the crystals he had felt, and the difficulties of enlarging the hole so that they could creep in.
”That can soon be done, herr, if we have fine weather, but there is lightning over the Blitzenhorn, and that may mean a storm.”
”Let's hope not, for though this place is lovely now, it would be very dreary and cold if it were wet. Now then, let's clear away and get to sleep, for we have a long day's work before us to-morrow.”
The clearance was made, and the fire raked together and made up so that it might possibly last till morning, and then came the preparation for sleep.
”We shall divide the night into three watches to-night, Melchior,” said Dale suddenly.
”The herr will keep watch?”
”Yes; for whoever it is that is watching and trifling with us--”
”Then the herr thinks--”
”That we have an enemy hanging about our camp and following us.”
”Ah!”
”And that it was he who threw off the rope.”
”Then the herr thinks that?”
”Yes, I feel sure now, for I have been thinking it over, and I know that Melchior Staffeln, the tried old guide, could not possibly have fastened that rope so that an accident would result.”
”The herr gives me hope and life again,” said the guide warmly.
”Yes, Melchior, I was all wrong. There--shake hands, man, like we English do.”
”Yes: it is good,” said the guide, eagerly doing as he was told.
”Now lie down both of you, and sleep. In three hours I shall call you, Melchior, and in three more you will come up, Saxe. We may see nothing, but henceforth we will be on guard.”
Ten minutes later the fire was subsiding into a glow. Saxe and the guide slept, and Dale was keenly awake watching for the kobold who disturbed their peace.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
THE TREASURE.
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