must be right, unless one of us
took it."

"Took it!" cried Saxe. "Oh, Mr Dale, you don't think I would take it?"

"No, my lad, of course not," cried Dale, bringing his hand down on the
boy's shoulder with a hearty slap; "but I think it's quite likely that
after the excitement of yesterday, and the remarks you made just before
lying down, that you may have dreamed that the crystal was not safe, and
taken it and hid it somewhere."

"Oh, impossible!" cried the boy.

"No, quite possible; and if you have not done this, I think it is quite
likely that I may. Why, Saxe, our brains were regularly crystallised
last night."

"Oh! I don't think it's anything to laugh at," said the boy seriously.
"It could not have been, for I was awakened by hearing some one moving
about."

"Yes; and you thought it was I."

"Yes."

"Then it must have been, and sooner or later we shall find where I have
hidden it. Come: you are sure it was I? You saw me?"

"No; it was too dark for that. I only thought it was you."

"Then it must have been, for you would have felt the difference in some
way if it had been any one strange. Well, I'm glad of it, Saxe; for it
would have been ugly and unpleasant coming to rob us wherever we rested.
Why, of course, I remember!"

"What--taking it?" cried Saxe.

"No. What did I say about fastening the door, so as not to tempt
burglars?"

"I remember you said something of the kind, but I was terribly sleepy."

"You were. Well, I said that; and of course I went and dreamed about
burglars, and got up, I suppose, in my sleep to take care of the
crystal. There, don't worry about it any more, and let's have
breakfast."

"But the stones, the figure I saw, and the night alarm?"

"Oh, fancy, I dare say, boy," cried Dale, pouring out his mug of coffee,
while the boy followed suit, but with his brow wrinkled up with trouble.
"Pity we have no milk. That's the worst of being too high up in the
mountains. Come, eat away! the bacon's cooked better than Melchior's,
and he's almost the prince of bacon chefs."

"I--I don't feel as if I can eat any breakfast this morning," said Saxe
drearily.

"Nonsense, boy! Why, even if it were as you have imagined, what would
it matter? We should only have to take extra precautions: set a watch,
perhaps, as the sailors do. We shall have Melchior back soon, and we
shall hear what he has to say. There, go on--eat. You can't work
without. We've found one crystal ca