There was no answer.
“Saxe!”
“Yes,” rather hoarsely.
“Come down now, and let’s go back.”
There was again no answer.
“Why don’t you come down?” said Dale.
“I—I’ll come down directly.”
“Curious place—very curious place!” said Dale, looking about him at the solid walls of rock. “I shouldn’t wonder if we came upon crevices similar to those which we found lower down in the sides of the glacier: perhaps we may hit upon a cavern that we can explore. I must bring Melchior up here: he has a nose like a dog for holes of that kind.”
He stood peering here and there with his back to Saxe, and did not turn for a few minutes. When at last he did, he saw that the boy was in precisely the same position.
“Why, Saxe, my lad,” he said, “what are you doing? Why don’t you come down?”