The Crystal Hunters Part 64

"I am awake, herr," said the guide, rising. "It is just the time I had settled to sleep."

In a few minutes they were ready for breakfast, and as they began Melchior drew from the pannier a portion of the provision he had brought, smiling as he placed it upon the slab of rock which served them as a table.

"What are you laughing at?" said Saxe.

"Oh, only about being a boy like you once, herr, and thinking that when I was your age I too could eat one breakfast and feel ready for another in an hour."

"I felt ready for one an hour ago, but I didn't have one," said Saxe.

"No, it was two hours ago."

"But the herr did have a breakfast one or two hours ago."

"I?" said Saxe sharply. "No, I didn't have anything."

The guide looked at him wonderingly, then at the provisions he was setting down, and ended by shrugging his shoulders.

"I beg the young herr's pardon. I thought he did," said Melchior quietly; and for the time the incident was forgotten.

Half an hour later Gros was brought up, provisions packed, the geological hammer and a cold chisel put inside with the food, and they started after leaving wood and water ready for a fire when they returned.

The ravine was duly reached, Gros having proved himself an admirable climber on the ice, and he made no objection to ascending the black ravine for some distance; but at last it grew too bad for him, and he was tethered to a block of stone and left to meditate and lick the moisture which trickled down, for there was no pasture--not so much as a patch of moss.

Then the climb went on, Dale asking the guide if he thought the mule could get back with a load of crystals in the pannier.

"That depends on the weight, herr. If it is too much for him, we must help, or we must all go twice."

In due time they reached the rock beyond which was the way down to the lower grotto; but though it would have been tempting to have explored this with lights, it was decided to leave it for the present, and to go on and break into the cave discovered by Saxe.

"Well," said Dale, as they stood beneath it and gazed upon the black crevice, "do you think you can get at it so as to use a hammer and the chisel?"

"Oh yes, herr," said Melchior quietly; and thrusting the hammer handle and the chisel through his belt, he went up and along the ledge with wonderful agility, sprang across on to the projecting block, and then Saxe watched him eagerly as he saw him drive in the point of the geological hammer as high up as he could reach, and use it to hold by while he climbed higher and got his feet on the lower edge of the opening, where he stood with his hand inside to steady himself while he wriggled out the hammer. Then, holding this in his breast, they saw him take a steel spike from his pocket, and after a little examination thrust the point in a crevice which looked like an upward continuation of the opening into the grotto. This done, a sharp stroke or two from the hammer enabled him to fix the spike sufficiently firmly to enable him to hold on by it with his left hand while he drove it in firmly with the hammer before pa.s.sing the double rope over it, and making a sling in which he could sit opposite the opening and work.

"There, Saxe, neither you nor I could have done that," said Dale, as the guide settled himself in the loop swinging before the mouth of the grotto.

"It makes my hands feel wet," whispered Saxe. "Look!"

For Melchior was already hard at work with hammer and chisel, cutting off great angles that obstructed the way in and sending the fragments showering down.

They watched him intently, seeing that he used the hammer as he used his ice-axe, so as not to deliver an unnecessary blow.

"Think you will make a way in?" cried Dale, as the guide paused for a few moments to wipe his brow.

"Oh yes, herr; I should have done by now, only my blows fall weakly sitting swinging here."

"Is the spike safe? Take care."

"I shall not fall, herr," he replied. "If the spike gave way I should have time to save myself."

He began hammering again, this time without the chisel, and using the hammer with so much effect that they could hear the pieces of rock he chipped off rattling down inside, till at the end of about half an hour he ceased striking, and began raking out the bits he had broken off.

"I can get through here now, herr," he said. "I'll come down, and you shall go first."

"No: that is your right, Saxe, as the discoverer; only be careful not to penetrate far. There may be danger."

As they were speaking Melchior stood once more upon the edge of the entrance, sending a shovelful or two of the broken stone clattering down as he untied the knots in the loop, and, taking one end of the rope, threw it over the spike, made a slip-knot, drew it tight, and then glided down to where Dale and Saxe were standing.

"There, herr," he said; "you can hold the rope, creep along the ledge, swing yourself across, and mount easily now."

"Shall I go first?" said the boy, looking at Dale.

"Yes, of course; but we shall be close behind you."

Saxe seized the rope, and, profiting by old experience, went up, swung himself over on to the projection, and then easily climbed in at the opening; saw that there was ample room for him to pa.s.s, and then he crept forward cautiously on hands and knees, finding that the floor sloped downward rapidly toward where all was black darkness.

He stopped short, not caring to go farther, and waited till the agitation of the rope, which he had let go, told him that Dale was nearly up. The next minute the figure of the latter darkened the opening, and he too crept in.

"Well, Saxe: what has Aladdin's cave to show us?"

"Darkness," replied the boy.

"Ah, well; we shall soon dissipitate that," said Dale, as he loosed his hold of the rope and began to prepare the lanthorn he had brought up.

"Seen any gnomes?"

"Can't see anything," replied Saxe shortly; for it seemed to him that Dale was smiling at him.

"No kobolds or goblins? Well, let's strike a match and light up: then perhaps we may. That's one good thing about these hollows,--there is no explosive gas, like there is in a coal mine. There, take this and hold it out before you," he continued, as he closed and pa.s.sed the lanthorn.

"Lift it up! Now what can you see?"

"Something glittering--yes, crystals!--beauties!--what a size!"

"Hah! Yes. These are worth all the trouble we have taken!" cried Dale, as he dimly saw pendant from the roof, projecting from the rock at all angles, and even lying upon the floor of the grotto, dozens upon dozens of magnificent crystals, which seemed to be clear as gla.s.s, of a dull brown, like smoky quartz, and some even of a hue that was almost a purply-black.

At that moment Melchior's head appeared.

"Is there room for me to come in, herr?" he said; and before an answer could be given, "Ah! those are large."

"Large, my good fellow! they are the finest I have ever seen. Come in.

Well, Saxe, how far does the grotto go in? Can you stand up? Mind your head!"

"Just stand up here," he replied; "but it is higher farther in."

"Let me go on first, herr," said Melchior: "it may be dangerous. There is no telling where these cracks in the rocks extend."

He took the lanthorn and crept forward cautiously, while Dale and Saxe watched the play of the light on the wonderful prisms and hexagons which hung in all directions. But there was no penetrating above thirty feet; for the grotto, after rising six or seven feet in height, dropped down again, and closed together till there was a mere slit.

"There may be more of it beyond here, sir," said the guide, "if we could break through."

"There is more than enough here, Melchior," cried Dale. "I am satisfied if we can get these away."