The Crystal Hunters Part 36

Just at that moment, from out of the darkness, about fifty yards away, the cry rose again, but short and sudden, like a bit of the f.a.g end of the shriek which had roused them from their sleep.

"There!" cried Saxe.

"Yes, herr--there!" said the guide, and he began to laugh silently.

"Why, it quite startled me. I ought to have known."

"What was it?" cried Dale, as the curious wild cry seemed still to be ringing in his ears.

"What was it, herr? Don't you know?"

"Of course not."

"It was Gros."

"The old mule?" cried Saxe. "Oh, I wish I was close by him with a stick."

"I suppose he feels the cold. No, stop: it can't be that," added the guide, as if suddenly struck by an idea. "There must be a reason for his crying out."

He walked away hurriedly into the darkness, and they followed, to hear him talking directly after to the mule, which responded with a low whinnying sound.

"Perhaps the poor brute has slipped into a hole or a crack in the rock,"

suggested Dale; but as they drew nigh they could see the mule standing out dimly in the darkness, and the guide close by his neck.

"Have we overdriven him?" said Saxe. "Is he ill?"

"You couldn't overdrive Gros, herr," said Melchior quietly.

"Why not?"

"You heard what old Andregg said to us, Gros would not be overdriven, herr; he would lie down when he had done as much work as he felt was enough."

"What's the matter, then? Is he ill?"

"No, herr; his coat is smooth and dry."

"I know," cried Saxe.

"You know, herr?"

"Yes; of course, he has been trying to find enough to eat amongst these stones, and there is scarcely anything. He is hungry, and crying out for supper."

"Oh no, herr. I showed him where he could find plenty of green shoots, and I gave him half a loaf of black bread as well before we had our meal."

"Then he wants kicking for waking us up like this."

"No, herr," said the guide drily; "and it is bad work to kick Gros. He is a very clever animal, and can kick much harder than a man. I remember Pierre kicking him once, and he kicked back and nearly broke the man's leg."

"Then don't kick him. But what is the matter with him?"

"I cannot tell you, herr, unless some one has been here since we lay down to sleep."

"But, surely, Melchior, if any one came he would have seen the tent and spoken."

"Yes, herr, one would think so, for out in the mountains here we are all friends. We should have given him to eat and drink just as we should have expected it if we came upon a camp."

"Well," said Dale, "it was a false alarm, and I'm going to lie down again. Come, Saxe."

"But suppose--"

"No, no; we have so much hard work to do to-morrow that we want all the rest we can get. There is nothing to suppose, is there, Melchior?"

"Oh no, herr; and besides, if the herr likes, I will sit up and watch."

"There is no need. Come: sleep."

"I can't sleep," thought Saxe, as he lay down once more in the shelter of the tent. "I shall be listening, and expecting to hear that cry again."

But his head had hardly touched the rug before he was breathing heavily; and he slept without moving till a hand was laid upon his shoulder; and as he opened his eyes he saw that it was daybreak and that the dark figure bending over him was the guide.

"Time to get up?"

"Yes, herr--quick!" was the reply. "Will you wake up the herr?"

"Eh? Yes: all right, Melchior," cried Dale. "Hah! what a splendid sleep! It does not seem five minutes since I lay down."

"Will you come out, sir?" said the guide, in rather a peculiar manner.

"Yes, of course. Eh? Is anything the matter?"

"I don't quite know, herr," replied the guide, as they stood together; "but it is clear some one has been here in the night."

"Then that is what frightened the mule?"

"Yes, herr; that is what made him cry out. Look!"

"What at?" said Dale quietly, as they now stood beside the ashes of the last night's fire.

"Cannot the herr see?"

Dale looked sharply round, and Saxe followed his example.

"I see nothing," said the former.

"Nor I," said Saxe; "only that the bits of burnt wood seem to have been kicked about."

"That's it, herr," cried Melchior; "and look there!"

He bent down, and pointed.