These people who make discoveries of curiosities in the
mountains consider they have a perfect right to them, as sons of their
fatherland; and, as foreigners, I'm afraid we should get a great deal of
law and no profit if we raised the question. The best way is to keep
our discoveries as secret as we can. Now, then! what do you say to
drawing the curtains and going to sleep?"

"I'm ready," said Saxe; "but my! what a lot of adventures we are having
in so short a time!"

"All lessons for you in mountaineering, my lad. Good night."

"Good night," said Saxe drowsily, as he lay down inside the tent, and at
an hour when he would have thought it absurd to think of going to sleep
at home. But nature was quite ready, and as he watched Dale fastening
down the door of the tent with a peg, he dropped right off to sleep, but
only to start awake again, to sit up, and stare wonderingly.

"I said we have our crystal to take care of now, boy," said Dale,
laughing at the comical figure Saxe cut; "and we must not invite a visit
from burglars by leaving the front door open. There, good night once
more, and don't have a nightmare, and get dreaming about being fixed on
a mountain shelf, like an English ornament, for strangers to see!"

"That's too bad," said Saxe drowsily. "I did find the crystal cave."

"So you did, Saxe, and it is too bad. Never mind, my lad. You've done
well. Once more--good night."

Was it the next minute after saying that?

Saxe was not sure, but it seemed to be directly, though it could not
have been, for instead of being twilight it was now quite dark.

"What is he doing?" thought Saxe, as he heard the faint sound of moving
about. The canvas door of the little tent was open, for he could feel
the cool night air blowing in upon his face, with the crisp, bracing
sensation of wind off the snow-capped mountains.

Saxe lay still listening. He was very sleepy, and now, as he came to
the conclusion that it must be close upon daybreak, and Dale had risen
to light the fire and make coffee so that they might start for the
ravine as early as possible, he determined to lie perfectly still and
feign sleep till the last minute, and a sharp summons bade him rise.

It is that last bit of snooze which is so enjoyable. One goes to bed
because it is time, and after a good deal of waiting sometimes one goes
to sleep; but it is not the delicious, easy-going sleep of the last
half-hour in the morning--a sleep so enti