The Crystal Hunters Part 12

"I think so, herr; and if you like we will try. I don't think there will be much snow in the pa.s.s--no more than the mule can manage. And, once there, I think we can descend into a wild valley below the snow-line--one where man very seldom treads."

"Excellent," said Dale. And they started, leaving old Andregg and his wife collecting the broken bottles and damaged articles below.

They had not ascended above half a dozen of the many zigzags of the path, when the bray of the donkey came faintly from behind, and Gros set up his ears, stopped, whinnied, and looked as if he were about to turn back; but this time kindness was tried, Melchior s.n.a.t.c.hing a piece of bread from his pocket and walking on, holding it behind him.

The result was excellent. The bray of Gros's relative was forgotten, and he increased his pace, sniffing at the bread till he could succeed in taking it from the guide's hand, and, steadily journeying on, munch the sweet, fresh food.

In spite of the delay it was still early; and, feeling no trace of his last night's weariness, Saxe tramped on along the zigzag shelf in the valley side, till the edge of the steep part was reached. Melchior strode off to the right, and then to the left, so as to reach the narrow valley down which the stream came that had supplied them with water for their morning's bath.

This was a mere crack running up into the mountains, but with a little care a path was found upon the steep alp which formed one side, and when this became too precipitous, they descended into the rocky bed, and slowly made their way on till an opportunity for ascending to higher ground presented itself.

The progress made was very slow, but wonderfully interesting, from the variety of moisture-loving plants which took Dale's attention, and the brightly coloured insects, which took that of Saxe, while the mule was perfectly content to wait while a halt was called to capture insect or secure plant; the solemn-looking animal standing fetlock-deep in the water, and browsing on the herbage in the various crannies among the stones.

One of these halts was in an opening out of the narrow gorge running nearly east and west, so that it was flooded by the morning sun; and here, as the limpid water trickled and glided over the sandy bed, Dale took a shallow tin from the mule's pannier and lowered himself down to the edge of the stream.

Taking hold of a piece of rock so as to reach out, he bent down and scooped out half a panful of sand, where there was an eddy; and as the mule began to munch, and Saxe watched his leader's acts, Melchior pulled out his pipe, struck a match, and began to smoke.

"The herr is going to try for gold," he said quietly to Saxe; but Dale heard it.

"Yes. Is there much here, do you think?"

"It is too much to say, herr," replied the guide. "There may be, but I have never known any to be found on this side of the mountains."

"Is any found on the other side, then?"

"Oh yes, on the Italian slope, herr, and down in the valleys, they seek for and find gold--not much, but some."

"Got any, sir?" said Saxe.

"I don't know myself," replied Dale, who was washing the heavier gravel away, and picking out the stones he brought to the surface by a skilful motion of the pan beneath the water. "I must wash out all the sand first before I look to see if there is colour, as the American gold-finders call it."

"Is there another pan, Melchior?" said Saxe; "I want to try too."

"No, herr, there is only one."

"You wait, and let's see what I find, my lad. I expect it will be nothing. There's a nice fragment of onyx," he continued, picking out and pitching up a piece of flinty-looking rock to the lad. "I dare say there are some good agates here too, if we searched for them."

Dale spent about a quarter of an hour getting rid of every sc.r.a.p of the granite; then held the pan in the bright sunshine, so that the water drained off and the rays shone full upon the bottom of the vessel.

He turned it about at different angles, shook the fine sand, and turned it over with his fingers; but ended by shaking his head.

"No luck, sir?"

"Not a speck. Never mind; I'll try again."

He dug down with the edge of the tin, scooping out a good deal of sand, so as to get a tinful from as deep down as he could.

"Gold is heavy, and would sink low if it were washed down," he said; and for the next quarter of an hour he repeated the washing process, while Melchior smoked, the mule browsed on the succulent herbage, and Saxe devoted himself to creeping farther along by the stream, and peering down into the pools in search of trout.

"That old fellow at the chalet said the mule would feed himself, Mr Dale," said the boy suddenly.

"Yes, he will not be much trouble to us that way," replied Dale, still plying the pan vigorously; when the mule suddenly reared its head, c.o.c.ked its ears forward, and whinnied.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

MELCHIOR GROWS SUSPICIOUS.

"Hallo! another donkey coming," cried Saxe, and he looked up, and then at Melchior, who had thrust his pipe into his wallet and was peering up the sides of the valley.

"I don't see one," he said; "but there must be something to take the thing's attention."

The mule whinnied again.

"It is not another mule or donkey," said Melchior, peering upward.

"They would have answered his challenge. It must be a man."

He began to climb up to get to a position where he could look up and down the gorge; while Dale, being more interested in the contents of his pan, went on till he had washed enough, and began now to search for specks or tiny scales of gold.

"Must have been some one Gros knew," said the guide to himself, as he still looked about sharply.

"Anything the matter, Melchior?" cried Saxe.

"No, sir, no. I was only trying to make out who was coming up this way."

"Not a speck," said Dale, rinsing his pan in the pure water.

"Will the herr try again?"

"No, not here," replied Dale. "Let's get on: I'm wasting time."

"No," said Melchior; "the herr is making his researches into the wonders of Nature. It cannot be waste of time."

"Well, no, I suppose not, my man. It is all learning. But what was the mule whinnying about!"

"I don't know," replied the guide in a peculiar tone. "It seemed to me that some one he knew was following us."

"What for?" said Dale.

"Ah! that I don't know, sir. From curiosity, perhaps."

"But there is no one who could come but old Andregg; and he would not, surely?"

"No, sir; he is too simple and honest to follow us, unless it were to make sure that we were behaving well to his mule. It must have been that. The animal heard or smelt him, and challenged."

"But you would have seen him, Melchior."

"I might, sir, but perhaps not. There are plenty of places where a man might hide who did not wish to be seen."