e pain. I wish I had
spoken to him. Too late now. Never mind; I'll make haste, and get him
a cup of coffee."

Saxe bustled about, and soon had the fire crackling and the coffee
kettle full of fresh cold water over the bright flame.

It was daylight, but some time yet to sunrise, and the air was very
cool, but Saxe hardly felt it in his busy preparations; and he was
eagerly watching the kettle when Dale came back.

"Ah! that's right, my boy," he cried. "I shall be glad of a cup of
coffee."

"Is your arm better, sir?" said Saxe.

"My arm is better, comrade," replied Dale, smiling. "I thought we had
decided that there was to be no `sir' out here, but only a brotherly
salute, as befits mountaineers."

"I had forgotten," said Saxe; "and the other seems so natural. I am
glad it is better."

"Thanks, lad. I've been to the little cascade, and held it under the
icy cold water as it fell. The numb chill seems to have done it no end
of good."

"You should have spoken to me when it was so bad in the night."

"I could not," said Dale, looking at him wonderingly.

"Was it so very bad, then?"

"No; it was not bad at all. I did not feel it till I got up."

"That's when I mean--while it was dark."

"You've been dreaming, Saxe. I did not get up when it was dark; and, by
the way, when did you get up and open the tent door?"

"I didn't," cried Saxe: "it was open. I felt the cold when you woke me
with getting up and going in and out."

"Why, Saxe," cried Dale, seizing the boy by the shoulder, "do you mean
to say you heard me moving about in the night?"

"Some time when it was dark; and I thought you were dressing."

"This is very strange," cried Dale, who looked puzzled.

"Hah!" cried Saxe excitedly; "where did you put the crystal?"

"In the leather bag that I used for a pillow."

"Then it couldn't have been that," said Saxe, in a disappointed way. "I
thought--"

"I don't know so much about that," cried Dale excitedly; and he ran into
the tent, dropped upon his knees by the leather bag, and tore it open.

"Gone!" he said.

"That's what I thought," cried Saxe excitedly. "Then there is some one
keeps on watching us, and he stole that crystal in the night."

Dale closed the bag with a snap, and stood gazing up at his companion
for some minutes in silence.

"This is very ugly, Saxe," he said; "and I don't like it."

"But that's it, isn't it?" cried the boy.

"I am afraid so. I can only think you