Dale would gaze up at the mighty peak whose icy crown stood up before them, beyond the mountains which surrounded Andregg’s hut, and shake his head.
“No,” he said: “the climb is too difficult for Saxe.”
“Oh no!” cried the boy; “I feel sure I could do it.”
“And I feel sure you could not,” replied Dale. “Look at it. The snow slopes you could manage; but those black, forbidding, almost perpendicular crags would be too much for you, and that is the part we should have to explore.”
“Yes,” said Melchior; “certainly that is the part we should have to explore.”
“Well, why not let me try!” cried Saxe.
“Wait, my lad—wait.”
So their days passed on, amidst fine weather and foul; partly-passed at Andregg’s chalet, partly in the mountains with their tent. They had been again and again to the black ravine, and examined other grottoes, bringing away a good assortment of crystals, but, as Dale said, there was nothing particular among them; and though they divided their time between trying to make fresh discoveries and tracing the old treasures, the crystals had disappeared as completely as if the legendary spirits of the grots and mines had snatched them back, and hidden them where they would be safe from mortal eyes.
But it was a glorious time, in spite of the disappointment, and Saxe revelled in the wondrous scenery, growing more sure-footed and firm of nerve day by day when in the mountains, and happy and full of fun when back in Andregg’s valley, leaving the donkey or his companion Gros, and accompanying heavy, surly, stupid, strong Pierre up the green alps to fetch home the goats and cows, becoming a perfect adept with a great wooden Alpine horn, whose notes evoked wonderful echoes among the mountains which shut them in.
The natural history collection increased—butterflies, pressed plants and minerals were stored up; the falls were used for shower-baths; trout caught in the streams and lakes; and time was passing, when one evening, as the glorious sky foretold a bright day on the morrow, Dale, who was seated outside Andregg’s chalet with Melchior, returned that day from far below with a fresh load of provisions, called Saxe to bring him his field-glass.