“Oh, if they would not think me such a cowardly child!” thought Saxe. Then, aloud—
“I should like to come, and I’ll do the best I can to keep up with you.”
“And if there is a bit of extra difficult climbing, why, you—you must wait till we come back.”
“Yes, I could do that,” replied Saxe; and as soon as the breakfast was ended a wallet was filled with food, a couple of bottles with water, and Melchior took the rope, passed his head and right arm through it, and looked at Dale as much as to say, “I am ready.”
“Will these things be all right?” said the latter, taking an ice-axe from where it hung up on a tree; and he pointed to the basket.
“There is no one here to touch them, herr.”
“And the mule?”
“He will not wander far from the basket, herr. We shall find him close at hand.”
“Then, forward!” said Dale; and the little party began the ascent almost directly, their way being back up the snow slope down which, on the previous day, Saxe had made so rapid a descent; and it was only now that the boy realised how far he had come.
“It will be easy coming back, herr,” said Melchior, as they stopped for a few minutes to rest, “and you must not lose your balance this time.”