en Melchior spoke.

"If I could free my ice-axe, I could hook on to it, herr. I can see the
loop quite plainly, but I dare not stir--I can only move one hand."

"Wait!" cried Dale. "Ice-axe!"

He drew back, hauled up some of the rope, knelt upon it to keep it fast,
and picked up his ice-axe, while Saxe watched him with dilated eyes, as
he made a knot and passed the axe handle through to where the steel head
stopped it like a cross. Then, cutting off more string, he bound the
end of the rope to the handle of his axe, doubly and triply, so that
slipping was impossible.

This took up nearly a foot for the knot; but the handle was nearly four
feet long, so that by this scheme he gained another yard as an addition
to the rope.

"I am at the end of my wits now, Saxe," he said softly; and then, with
grim irony, "There is no need to wet my hands, boy."

"Now, Melchior!" he shouted; "try again!"

He was on his chest as he spoke, with his arms outstretched, holding
tightly by the axe handle.

"Can you reach it?"

Saxe panted, and felt the insides of his hands grow wet and cold as he
held on to his companion and listened for the answer that was terribly
long in coming. The sensation was almost suffocating; he held his
breath, and every nerve and muscle was on the strain for the words which
seemed as if they would never reach his ears.

"Well?" shouted Dale, in a harsh, angry voice, his word sounding like a
snarl.

"Can't quite--can't. Hah! I have it!"

"Hurrah!" burst out Saxe, giving vent in his homely, boyish way to his
excitement.

Then, feeling ashamed of himself, he was silent and listened for every
word.

"Get your arm right through, above the elbow."

"Yes, herr. Right."

"Pull, to tighten it."

"Yes, herr," came back.

"Ready? Sure it cannot slip?"

"It cuts right into my arm: never slip."

"Now, Saxe, I have him, boy; but Heaven knows whether I can get him up,
lying like this. No: it is impossible; I have no strength, and the wood
handle is not like rope."

"Oh!" groaned Saxe.

"If I could get to the rope, you might help me. It is impossible: I
cannot lift him so."

"Can you hold on as you are?" said Saxe huskily.

"Yes; but I could not lift--I have no power."

"I must come too, and get hold of the handle. Will the head come off?"

"Hush! No. It is too new and strong. But you could not get hold to do
any good. There--come and try."

Saxe unhooked his axe from the ice, f