But even this came to an end; for, refreshed by the food, and after submitting to an examination by Melchior, who wished to make sure that his feet were not frozen in the least, a peculiar sensation of drowsy warmth came over the boy so strongly, that one minute he was trying to paint his sufferings on the snow when he felt that he had lost Dale, the next he was lying back wrapped in a blanket, breathing hard and sleeping as soundly in that dwarf pine-wood on the ledge of the huge mountain as if he had been back in London, with policemen regularly parading the street outside.
It was a heavy, dreamless sleep, that lasted till long after sunrise, when he opened his eyes to find that he was the last to wake up, that the fire was burning merrily, the sun shining, and nature looking more beautiful than ever. They were evidently waiting for him to wake and join them, for the rough meal was spread and the party talking quietly—all but Pierre, who lay on the ground upon his chest, resting his chin in his hands, and staring hard in one direction with his heavy, glowering eyes.
That direction was at Saxe, who turned away angrily as once more he found himself the object of the man’s unpleasant stare.
“I can’t make a fuss about it and complain,” he said to himself: “it would seem to be so stupid.” For what could he say, save that the man stared at him in a dull, heavy way? Dale would reply that there was no harm in that, and he would look weak. But all the same the man’s stare worried him and spoiled his breakfast, making him feel irritable and morose all the way back, till they reached Andregg’s home in the valley, where Dale announced that they would have a few days’ rest.
Chapter Thirty Nine.
Saxe sees a Kobold.
“I don’t approve of our hunt for crystals to turn out such a failure,” said Saxe one day, after they had had their rest and spent another fortnight in the valley, making short excursions in various directions.
“It is disappointing,” replied Dale; “but we did succeed, though we have lost the fruit of our success.”