hope no one has been watching us," he said. "It would not be very
pleasant to find that any one has been spying all our actions, ready to
take advantage of our find. There, come along! We cannot stop to watch
the place, even if we felt this had been the case, for we've a long
journey back out of this place, and then down the glacier home."

They began their arduous descent of the rugged place, Saxe walking
behind, till Dale stopped by where the water, which had been gurgling
along out of sight, rose now to the surface, so that they could obtain a
refreshing draught.

As Saxe rose from his knees and wiped the drops from his mouth, he
looked at Dale curiously.

"Well, what is it, boy?"

"What made you say about it being awkward if some one were watching us?"

"Oh, I don't know. The idea occurred to me. Why do you ask?"

"Because--perhaps it's fancy--it always seems to me that some one is
watching us."

"What?"

"Those stones tumbling about our ears, and that glimpse I got of
something going along the mountain; and then that night when some one
came and made Gros cry out!"

"Oh, fancy, my lad--fancy," cried Dale; but there was a quick nervous
tone in his utterance, and he walked on now toward the mouth of the
ravine in a hurried manner, which suggested that he was thinking deeply
about Saxe's words; and he was very silent all the way back to camp.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

AN UNSEEN DANGER.

"I shall be glad when Melchior comes back," said Dale, as they sat
resting that night, with the dark shadows gathering in the valley, and
the various peaks burning still in the sinking sunlight like glowing
fire.

"I suppose he may be here any time now?" replied Saxe.

"Yes--no: he will be sure to have a heavy load, and he will not try to
hurry the poor beast."

They had had the crystal out to examine again, and the more it was
judged the higher Dale's opinion of it grew.

"No," he said suddenly: "that would not do at all."

Saxe stared at him, for this remark had no bearing upon what had passed
before.

"I said that would not do at all, Saxe, to have some one watching our
movements, and taking advantage of our being away to profit by them.
Still, I feel pretty safe so far, and to-morrow we will climb to the
mouth of that gully and stop about it, even if we do not go up."

"But suppose anybody came and took them after we had discovered them:
wouldn't that be stealing!"

Dale shook his head.

"Oh no.