Part 67 (2/2)

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

GROWING RESIGNED.

A month had glided by, during which Dale and Saxe had explored valleys, traced glaciers to their sources, and made plenty of mountain ascents; but though they penetrated into the wildest regions of the higher alps, and encountered storm and wind sufficient to tear them from the giddy crags to which they climbed, no more crystals rewarded their efforts, no curiously half-hidden rift fringed with sparkling points invited them to break a way in.

”Why not try the Blitzenhorn, herr?” Melchior would say: ”the young herr is getting to be a clever, sure-footed mountaineer now, and I have hopes of our being successful there.”

Dale would gaze up at the mighty peak whose icy crown stood up before them, beyond the mountains which surrounded Andregg's hut, and shake his head.

”No,” he said: ”the climb is too difficult for Saxe.”

”Oh no!” cried the boy; ”I feel sure I could do it.”

”And I feel sure you could not,” replied Dale. ”Look at it. The snow slopes you could manage; but those black, forbidding, almost perpendicular crags would be too much for you, and that is the part we should have to explore.”

”Yes,” said Melchior; ”certainly that is the part we should have to explore.”

”Well, why not let me try!” cried Saxe.

”Wait, my lad--wait.”

So their days pa.s.sed on, amidst fine weather and foul; partly-pa.s.sed at Andregg's chalet, partly in the mountains with their tent. They had been again and again to the black ravine, and examined other grottoes, bringing away a good a.s.sortment of crystals, but, as Dale said, there was nothing particular among them; and though they divided their time between trying to make fresh discoveries and tracing the old treasures, the crystals had disappeared as completely as if the legendary spirits of the grots and mines had s.n.a.t.c.hed them back, and hidden them where they would be safe from mortal eyes.

But it was a glorious time, in spite of the disappointment, and Saxe revelled in the wondrous scenery, growing more sure-footed and firm of nerve day by day when in the mountains, and happy and full of fun when back in Andregg's valley, leaving the donkey or his companion Gros, and accompanying heavy, surly, stupid, strong Pierre up the green alps to fetch home the goats and cows, becoming a perfect adept with a great wooden Alpine horn, whose notes evoked wonderful echoes among the mountains which shut them in.

The natural history collection increased--b.u.t.terflies, pressed plants and minerals were stored up; the falls were used for shower-baths; trout caught in the streams and lakes; and time was pa.s.sing, when one evening, as the glorious sky foretold a bright day on the morrow, Dale, who was seated outside Andregg's chalet with Melchior, returned that day from far below with a fresh load of provisions, called Saxe to bring him his field-gla.s.s.

This was brought, and the lad watched him, and saw that he was scanning the Blitzenhorn carefully.

”He means to try it, after all,” thought the boy, whose heart began to beat heavily.

”Fine day to-morrow, Melchior,” said Dale at last, as he closed the gla.s.s.

”Yes, herr, I think so; though one never knows what changes may come.”

”But it is pretty sure to be a good day!”

”Yes, herr.”

”Then we'll start at three to ascend the Blitzenhorn, and I hope your prophecies will prove right.”

”I hope so, herr. Everything shall be ready. We'll take the mule and tent?”

”No: we'll go in light marching order, and chance it. Let's get to bed at once, and start at two.”

”Good, herr. Coffee shall be ready at half-past one.”

<script>