Saxe found it so, for it only wanted confidence, and the next minute he was standing beside the guide and looking up from the opening as Dale now began to descend.

Saxe had to back into the black rift to make room for Dale to come, and he held on tightly by a projection from the rocky side of the cavern to stand listening to the trickling of water, evidently a great way below; and as the weird whispering sound came up, he could not repress a shudder.

But there was no time left him for reflections about the danger, for the next minute Dale was blocking out the light of the entrance.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "this looks a likely place. Here, let's have a match before we move. There may be all kinds of horrible pitfalls close at hand." He let go of the rope, which swung to and fro in front of the opening, and took out a box of wax matches.

"I quite thought you had been down here, herr," said Melchior. Then, as a match was struck and held up, he continued: "Yes, we must have the lanthorn here, herr, for it is dangerous. See how the floor is split up into great holes."

Feeble as the light of the match proved, it was bright enough to show that; and, when nearly burned out, Dale threw it from him, and it fell, still burning, down and down till it was a tiny spark and it was impossible to say at last whether it went out or disappeared still burning in the great depth below.

"Why, Saxe, we have hit at last upon a veritable crystal mine," said Dale, as he held up a fresh match above his head, whose light was reflected from the facets of hundreds upon hundreds of crystals depending from the roof and sides, and, as far as they could see for the tiny glow, encircling the whole place; while Saxe now found that the projection by which he held was a hexagonal piece as clear as gla.s.s.

"Yes, herr," said the guide triumphantly: "this is what you wished for."

"No," said Dale, throwing away the end of the match again. "Very interesting, Melchior; but not what I meant."

"Then I have not understood the herr," said the guide, in a disappointed tone.

"Oh yes; and brought us to the part of the mountains where these wonders of Nature are to be found. These are beautiful, but, as far as I can see, all very small."

"But there may be big ones, herr," cried Melchior.

"May be; but it is doubtful here. There, it does not matter, for in the other cave--that to which you climbed--there are splendid specimens."

"Is the herr quite sure?"

"Yes, for we brought one away, and Saxe hid it somewhere, and has forgotten the place."

"Mr Dale!" cried Saxe indignantly.

"Well, then, I did," said Dale, laughing. "There, both of you, I am quite content. I should not have murmured about these, but we have at our command some that are incomparably better; and to-morrow we will come properly prepared with lights, chisels and hammer, and see what we can do."

"I am very glad, herr; and I have one peak I can take you up--the Blitzenhorn--where I am nearly sure we can find the finest yet."

"Good: we will try it. Now let's get back and dine."

"Yes, that will be wise," said the guide, as Saxe p.r.i.c.ked up his ears at the suggestion. "I journeyed nearly all last night, herr, so as to get back soon; and I hurried on as soon as I found your letter with the pine skewer through it."

"Under the stone, Melchior."

"No, herr: stuck down into the crack between two pieces of rock."

Dale said no more; and Saxe thought it strange, for he remembered the incident of securing the message perfectly.

"But Melk was tired and sleepy: he fancied it was secured like that,"

Saxe said to himself.

He had no time to think more, for Dale spoke to him. "Now, my lad," he said, "up with you; or shall one of us go first?"

"Oh, I'll go," said Saxe, turning to the gloomy opening, and reaching out his hand for the dull grey rope, which showed clearly against the black face of rock on the opposite side, not twenty feet away.

"Get a good hold, herr; next turn face inward, and swing yourself a little sidewise; then you will be on good climbing rock, and can easily get up."

Saxe nodded, took hold of the rope, turned round, reached up as high as he could, and then was about to throw his whole weight upon it, when it gave way, and came down upon him. This, with the surprise, threw him off his balance, and he would have gone down backward, headlong to the bottom of the narrow cleft, but for the action of the guide, who darted out one hand and caught him.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

MISUNDERSTANDINGS.

Saxe dropped, but no farther than the sill of the entrance, where Melchior was able to hold him, while Dale reached over and gripped the boy by the belt and hauled him in.

"Oh, Melchior!" cried Dale indignantly; "I thought I could have trusted you to secure a rope."

"But I did--I did, herr!" cried the man pa.s.sionately. "I could have staked my life upon that rope being secure."

"I spoke to you at the time about it not seeming safe."

"The herr said the rock did not look secure, not the rope. The rock has not come down."

"It is enough for me that the rope came down. Another instant, and that poor lad would have lost his life."

"Yes, herr; but we saved him. I cannot understand it."

"Has the rope broken?" said Dale, as it was hauled in.

"No, herr," said Melchior, as he examined the rope in the darkness; "and, see, the loop is here and the knots still fast!"

"It is very strange," said Dale.

"Yes, herr. Ever since I have grown up I have laughed at all the old stories about the dragons in the mountains, and the strange elves, gnomes, and kobolds said to live down in the deep mines; but what can one say to this? Is there an evil spirit to this crystal mine who is angry because we have come, and who seeks to punish us for intruding?"

"No, there is not!" cried Dale, with genuine English unbelief in such legends: "nothing of the kind. The loop slipped off the stone; so now climb up and fasten it safely, if you can."

There was such a sneer in this that Melchior looked at him reproachfully before reaching round the side of the grotto and then stepping out of sight.

"Rather an upset for you, my lad," said Dale kindly, as he took Saxe's hand, while they could hear the rustling and scratching made by Melchior as he climbed up, dragging the rope after him; for he had not stopped to coil it up, but merely threw the loop over his head and put one arm through it.

"Yes, I thought I was gone," replied the boy.

"It has made your hand feel wet, and set it trembling."

"Has it?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry; for I want you to get plenty of nerve out here."