"No, herr; I climbed down," replied Melchior.

"From where? Did you come over the top?"

"No, herr; from the mouth, by the glacier, I came right along the
bottom, and turned down into the chasm below."

"What chasm below?" said Dale eagerly.

"Is it possible the herr does not know?"

"We have seen no chasm but this one."

"Then you have not found a cave for crystals?"

"Oh yes!" said Saxe: "there it is;" and he pointed up at the face of the
narrow valley to where the dark opening looked like a black mark on the
rock.

"I see," said Melchior, looking up. "Yes, that looks a likely place
too. I had not seen that."

"It has quite large crystals in it," said Dale.

"Then the herr has been up to see?"

"Yes, Saxe found it; but it is very difficult to get to. How are we to
climb up and fasten a rope!"

"It is quite easy," said the guide; and, going back, he made for the
ledge, along which he made his way coolly enough till he came to the
gap, across which he leaped, thrust his hand into the orifice, and then,
to Saxe's horror, leaped back again with wonderful activity, came down
and joined them.

"These things have been so little asked for that they have not half been
hunted out. I could have got hundredweights if I had known that they
were of value to make it worth while."

"But that is a good cavern up there," cried Saxe, who now breathed more
freely, as he saw the guide safely down without breaking his neck.

"Oh yes, herr, I dare say; but the one I have found is, I think,
better."

"Show us it," said Dale. And after going back about a hundred yards,
Melchior suddenly disappeared as if by magic.

"Hi! Melchior! where are you!"

"Here, herr," he replied, showing himself again from behind one of the
great jagged masses of stone which strewed the ravine. "There is a
great crack here."

They climbed over some awkward rocks and joined him, to find that a
dismal chasm of great depth went off here at a sharp angle; and some
little distance down one of its rugged walls he pointed out a dark
opening which seemed unapproachable at first, though a little further
examination showed that it was quite possible for a cool-headed man to
get down--one who would not think of the dark depths below.

"How came you to find this place?" said Saxe. "We have come by here
three times now without seeing it."

"I told you, herr. I found that crystal just there at the entrance to
the narrow split--by the stone