simple, though. It was downward, and that
must be right unless Melchior led them to the edge of some terrible
precipice right or left of the track they had taken in the morning.

But matters began to go easier and easier, for at the end of another
hour's tramp they suddenly emerged from the mist, coming out below it,
and after a few more dozen steps seeing it like a roof high above their
heads.

Here the guide stopped, mounted a stone, and stood looking about him in
the evening light.

"I see," he cried: "we are not half an hour out of our way. Off to the
right we shall reach the snow, and then our task is done."

Melchior was right: in less than the time he had named they reached the
place where they had left the great snow slope, up which they had had to
zigzag; and after descending it diagonally for some distance, the guide
proposed a glissade.

"The young herr shall come down behind me this time," he said; and after
a few preliminary words of advice they started, and rapidly descended
safely to the debris at the foot of the snow, from which the walk to the
camp was not long.

Melchior soon had a good fire burning, with Gros standing near
contemplating it solemnly, while Dale placed their provisions ready.

"Now, Saxe, my lad," he said, "I congratulate you on your display of
honest English pluck to-day. I don't see that any boy of your age could
have behaved better. Come along: coffee's ready. You must be half
starved."

There was a pause.

"Ready, Melchior?"

"Yes, herr: the coffee smells heavenly, and I have an appetite for
three."

"You shall satisfy it, then. To-morrow we'll go back and fetch all our
traps, and then come over here again; for I do not think we can get a
better part for our search. Come, Saxe, wake up."

But there was no reply: Saxe was sleeping with all his might after the
tremendous exertions of the day.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

CAUGHT IN A TRAP.

The mist on the mountain had not been without its meaning, and a heavy
persistent rain kept them all the next day close in under the shelter of
the rock, where the fire had to be lighted too, and after a great deal
of difficulty this was accomplished by Melchior getting a few stout dead
branches and bringing them under cover.

These he whittled into shavings, and these shavings served to start the
green pine boughs which had formed their beds; and once a pretty good
glow was obtained, with plenty of embers, the wetness of the