The Crystal Hunters Part 28

To the surprise of all, the mule was perfectly satisfied so long as it could keep its head and ears in the warmth and shelter, and never once attempted to creep in nearer; and so another hour pa.s.sed, only broken by the low murmur of Dale's voice as he talked to the guide, and the plash and rush of water. For the dripping was drowned now by the enormous amount which fell, and this went on increasing till there was quite a heavy roar, as of many falls.

"Is that anything?" said Saxe at last, as a low booming noise fell upon their ears--a sound which gradually increased.

"A waterfall," said Melchior. "The waters on the mountains are gathering together and plunging into the valley. Listen, and you can hear others," he continued, as he held up his hand.

From apparently close at hand what sounded like the echo of the first fall could be heard, and beyond that, farther away, another, and again another, and so on, fainter and fainter, till the whole valley seemed to be filled with the noise of rushing waters.

It was somewhat awe-inspiring, and suggested the possibility of a great flood coming down upon them to sweep everything away; but at the hint of such a catastrophe Melchior shook his head.

"Oh no," he said. "If we were on the bank of a big stream that might be, and we should have to climb up to a place of safety; but here the waters divide a hundred ways, and will never reach us. Hah!--snow."

He held up his hand as a rushing noise was heard somewhere high up among the dense mists. This rapidly increased to a terrific roar, followed by a deep booming crash; and so tremendous was the sound, that the noise of the falling waters seemed for the moment to be hushed. Then the thunderous crash rolled right away among the mountains, dying in faint echoes, and the rush of the waterfalls filled the air once more.

"A heavy avalanche, Melchior," said Dale.

"Yes, herr; there is a great deal of snow up in the mountains, and this will make more."

"What, this rain?" said Saxe.

"It is snow a thousand feet up, herr. When the clouds pa.s.s away you will see."

Melchior's words were correct, for toward evening the rain ceased quite suddenly, and the sun broke through the mists, which rolled their way up the mountain sides as if to reach the snow peaks. And all the lower slopes were now powdered with newly fallen snow, where they had been green on the previous day.

Every tiny-looking cascade had been turned into a furious torrent, whose waters came leaping and bounding down from far on high, one running into another, till the last was vastly swollen and plunged into the valley, to turn its stream into quite a large river for a few hours.

"Well?" said Dale, inquiringly, as he returned with Saxe from watching the rush of waters and the beauty of the fresh snow.

"Well, herr?" said the guide quietly.

"What do you think? Could we start back now and get to Andregg's chalet to-night?"

"It is not impossible, herr; but the walking would be slippery and bad, every stream so swollen that they would be dangerous to wade, and the distance is so great that--"

"Well, go on. Why do you stop?"

"I had forgotten the schlucht, herr. We could not get through there.

It would be terribly swollen. The water is close up to or over the path, and--No, I should not like to be answerable for your safety. No, herr, we must wait till to-morrow."

"But we shall not have enough to eat," said Saxe.

"Plenty, though only simple," said Dale, smiling. "Come, Saxe, that's not like talking like a mountaineer. To-morrow morning, then: will that do, Melchior?"

"I think so, herr. I am sure about our way to the mouth of the schlucht. Then we can see."

The morning dawned with the different falls wonderfully reduced; and after a breakfast that was exactly what Dale had said overnight, an early start was made, so that they were well on their way by the time that the sun began to tinge the tops of the mountains, which, seen now from a different point of view, seemed more beautiful than before.

Then by degrees the various familiar parts came into sight, till they neared and descended into the open valley along which the river ran, and at last came to a halt close to the mouth of the gorge, where the fount gushed down and joined the water at their feet.

The horror and dread they had felt came back to their memories as they gazed down at the murky stream, rushing furiously along, now evidently many feet deeper than when they had pa.s.sed that way; and Melchior drew their attention to the fact that it must have been much higher up the rocks on the previous day.

"What do you think of it?" asked Dale.

"There is a great deal of water, herr; but I think the path will be all clear. Now it is so full, the water will flow more quietly."

"But the mule: do you think you can get it through?"

"Oh yes, herr."

"But suppose it falls from one of these narrow places?" said Saxe excitedly.

"Oh, then we should have to go back and get it ash.o.r.e, and try again, herr. Gros knows the way by water."

"But surely that animal will never get through, Melchior?"

"Oh yes, herr. Certainly he has no hands, but his feet are as true, or truer, than a man's. You will see he will get through. And I shall carry the basket; it is light now. You see I can shift it as I like,-- he cannot."

"Well, you know best," said Dale. "How do you feel for the journey, Saxe?"

"Don't like it," said the lad bluntly, "but I'm ready. It isn't so bad as what we did up the mountain."

"No: you are getting your head, my boy, fast. Ready, Melchior?"

"Yes, unless the herr likes to sit down and rest for half an hour first."

"By no means," cried Dale. "We should be thinking of the ugly bit of work we have to do--eh, Saxe?"

"Yes, let's go on at once, please. I don't like waiting."

"How shall you go--leading the mule or driving it?" asked Dale.

"Neither, herr. I shall tell him to go on, and he will lead us."

The guide shouldered the basket, which was somewhat lightened by Dale and Saxe each taking out some of their belongings and slinging them on by straps. Then Melchior led the mule down to the ledge at the opening, said a few encouraging words, and waited.

The mule hesitated. The water was right over the track here, and the animal bent down, sniffed and pawed at it as if uneasy; but a few more words from Melchior made it go on a few steps very slowly, and continually trying its way, so as to get a good foothold before going on, and acting in a wonderfully human way by pressing itself very close to the rock.

"I hardly think we ought to venture, Melchior," said Dale.

"Oh yes, herr. We know the extent of the danger. Gros swims like a dog, and you know he was none the worse for the last fall."

"Go on, then."

The mule was already going on. Finding the water more shallow on the ledge, it progressed with a little confidence, for the ledge eloped upward, and it could see the damp stone clear of the water a short distance on.

"There, herr, you see," said the guide, after they had waded with the water just over their boots to the clear stone ledge along which the mule went on steadily now, "there is nothing to mind here."

"I am glad you think so," said Dale, shouting loudly, to make his voice heard beyond Saxe, who was between, and they were getting now within reach of the reverberating roar of the torrent.

Saxe glanced down as they pa.s.sed the angles and gradually entered the semi-darkness, and saw that the surface of the water was smoother, and that, as they pa.s.sed the waves formed by the water being hurled against the opposing faces of the rock, there was less foam and turmoil; but these places looked, if anything, more terrible than before, and the water, as it surged up so much nearer his feet, looked to his excited vision as if stealthily writhing towards him to lap round his legs like some huge serpent, and s.n.a.t.c.h him down into the depths.