t down upon his back.

"It is nothing, herr," he said quietly,--"only weariness. May I beg for
something?"

"Yes: what can we do!" cried Dale.

"Fill your pipe for me, herr, and light it. My tobacco is so wet it
will not burn."

"Of course," cried Dale.

"Hadn't we better give him some more water?" whispered Saxe.

"No, herr," said the guide; "no more. That which you gave me brought
life back to me: it would do no more good now. Let me rest and smoke
awhile--not many minutes. Then I can go on."

The pipe was filled and handed to the poor fellow, who held it with
trembling fingers to the opened lanthorn; and as soon as he had lit it
and begun to smoke, he said feebly--

"Have you matches, herr!"

"Yes, plenty."

He blew out the light.

"We do not want that now," he said, handing it back to Saxe, and lying
back again, to go on smoking rapidly. "The warmth is coming back to my
limbs," he continued. "I shall be able to walk better, herrs, and it
will be best for me."

"Then you think you can reach the tent to-night?" said Dale.

"Oh yes: we will reach it, herr. It is not so very far now. There will
be a fire, and hot coffee, and rugs to cover us from the cold. Oh yes:
we are all faint and hungry."

"But look here, Melk," said Saxe, "suppose I go down and fetch up some
wood and the coffee?"

"No, herr: it is life to me to get down to camp. There!" he cried,
making an effort and rising, "I am getting stronger now. It is hard
work to walk, but it is best for me after what I have gone through."

Saxe looked at the dark figure before him with a feeling almost of awe,
and his desire was intense to begin questioning; but he restrained
himself, waiting till Melchior himself should begin, and following down
over the rugged and slippery stones for what seemed to be a weary
interminable time. A dozen times over the boy felt as if, regardless of
the cold, and the knowledge that it was freezing sharply, he must throw
himself down and sleep. But there was the dark figure of the patient
guide before him, struggling slowly along, and fighting against the pain
and exhaustion that nearly overcame him, and he took heart and stumbled
on till he felt as if all the trouble through which he had passed that
evening were a dream, of which this was the nightmare-like following,
and at last he followed the guide nearly asleep.

How long they had been walking Saxe could not tell, but he roused up
suddenly as a pecu