Part 65 (1/2)

”Yes, herr,” said the guide, holding up the lanthorn, and making its light play in all directions, its rays flas.h.i.+ng off the various facets in a way that displayed in some the beauty of their forms, and in others the limpid transparency of the stone,--”yes, herr: there are many mules'

burdens here. What will you do first?”

”Try to get off that one,” cried Saxe, pointing. ”It is the best here.”

”They all seem best, Saxe,” said Dale. ”Yes, we will have that one, if it can be broken off without injury.”

”There is a fine one here, herr,” said the guide. ”It must have fallen from the roof.”

As he spoke he turned over a huge piece, after setting down the lanthorn, the light from which shot beneath it, and showed a rich purply-black stain, as the guide set the great hexagon up on end.

”Why, that is the finest I have seen,” said Dale, growing quite excited over his discovery. ”This and two or three more will be a load for the mule.”

”Yes, herr, as many as we can get over the rocks with; but we can make many journeys backwards and forwards now we have found the place. But the herr will not take all away without sending word to Lucerne or Geneva?”

”You may trust me,” said Dale. ”I shall behave quite honourably to the Government, who will, I have no doubt, consent to my keeping some of them. Now, then: we shall have a long, slow journey back, with such a load. Try and strike off that small white piece.”

The ”small white piece” proved to be ten inches long and very heavy, when it had been dexterously struck off, without damaging any of its clearly-cut angles.

Two more very beautifully clear pieces were then selected, and then Dale looked questioningly at Melchior.

”If the mule carries the two largest pieces, herr,” he said, smiling, ”and we take one each, I think it will be all we can do. When we get lower down, on to the better way, the mule can carry all.”

”Yes, we must not be too grasping,” said Dale, with a sigh. ”I wish, Saxe, I had all these over in England safe.”

”I should like to have the whole grotto over there safe,” replied Saxe.

”Better say the mountain while you are about it,” cried Dale, with a laugh. ”There, Melchior, try if you can get down that heavy piece.”

”Yes, herr, easily done,” said the guide; and, drawing up the rope, he made it fast to the largest crystal and carefully lowered it down.

”You must go down now and unfasten,” said Dale. ”I can lower the rest.

But what about the rope when we have done?”

For answer Melchior climbed up and loosened the rope, leaving only a loop over the spike. Then sliding down, he soon set the crystal free, and the others were lowered down. Dale and Saxe followed, and the rope was jerked off the spike and coiled up.

”The only way of locking up the door,” said Saxe, laughing. ”But, I say, these will be very heavy to carry back. What's the matter?” he continued, as he saw Dale looking at the fragments of broken rock sent down by Melchior.

”I was thinking that those pieces will tell tales,” he said. ”If any one comes up here, they will see we have been at work.”

”Yes, herr, if any one comes by; but n.o.body is likely to come here.”

”I suppose not,” said Dale thoughtfully, after a look round.

”The herr forgets that we are now in the wildest part of this the most desolate of our cantons.”

”Yes, I had forgotten,” said Dale lightly. ”No one is likely to come, unless it be one of your kobolds, Melchior.”

”They will not come, herr, or they would have been here to protect their treasures,” replied the guide, laughing, as he stooped and lifted the big crystal on to his shoulder; then took it off, and asked Saxe to place the coil of rope under it. ”The stone is heavy,” he said cheerfully. ”Yes, that's it: now it will ride easily. I think, herr, if you take my ice-axe and give me another under this arm to balance it, I can get on well.”