s like a vast stone wall all round, and as far as
we can see. Must we go back again?"

"Yes," said Saxe promptly; "there's no means of getting along any
farther."

The guide smiled, went a little to the left, and plunged at once into a
long crack between two masses of rock, so narrow that as the mule
followed without hesitation, the sides of the basket almost touched the
rock.

"We can't say our guide is of no use, Saxe," cried Dale, laughing.
"Come along. Well, do you like this rough climbing, or would you rather
get back to the paths of the beaten track."

"I love it," cried Saxe excitedly. "It's all so new and strange. Why
didn't we come here before?"

"You should say, why do not the tourists come into these wild places
instead of going year after year in the same ruts, where they can have
big hotels and people to wait upon them? Look, there's a view!" he
continued, pointing along a narrow gorge between the mountains at a
distant peak which stood up like the top of a sugar-loaf, only more
white.

"I was looking at that view," said Saxe, pointing downward at the hind
quarters of the mule, which was the only part visible, the descent was
so steep, to where they came upon a sheltered grove of pines, whose
sombre green stood out in bright contrast to the dull grey rocks.

Then onward slowly for hours--at times in the valley, where their feet
crushed the beautiful tufts of ferns; then the hoofs of the mule were
clattering over rounded masses of stone, ground and polished, over which
the patient beast slipped and slid, but never went down. Now and then
there was a glimpse of a peak here or of another turning or rift there;
but for the most part they were completely shut in down between walls of
rock, which echoed their voices, bursting forth into quite an answering
chorus when Melchior gave forth a loud, melodious jodel.

"But doesn't any one live here?" said Saxe at last.

"No, herr!"

"No farmers or cottage people? Are there no villages?"

"No, herr. How could man live up here in these solitudes? It is bright
and beautiful now, with moss and dwarf firs and ferns; but food would
not grow here. Then there is no grass for the cattle; and in the winter
it is all deep in snow, and the winds tear down these valleys, so that
it is only in sheltered places that the pines can stand. Am I leading
the herrs right? Is this the kind of scenery they wish to see?"

"Capital!" cried Saxe.

"Yes," said Dale q