where you saw me standing."

"And that made you think there must be a crystal cavern near?"

"Yes, herr; and there it is. I wonder it has never been found before.
And yet I do not, for no one but an Englishman would think of coming in
a place like this."

"Have you been down to it?"

"Oh yes, herr. It is easy enough to get to; but we will have the rope,
to make it easier. Will you come down?"

"Yes; let's see it," said Dale eagerly, while Saxe felt a curious
sensation of shrinking as he saw the guide secure one end of his rope to
the nearest block of stone that stood up clear.

"Is that strong enough?" said Dale.

"Oh yes, herr; it is not a loose stone, but a solid piece of the rock,
and would bear a dozen of us. I will go down first."

He took hold of the rope, slipped over the edge of the shelf upon which
they stood, and lowered himself down from buttress to ledge and
projecting block, and stood the next minute inside the narrow crack.

"Will you go next, Saxe?"

The boy did not reply, but, imitating Melchior's actions as nearly as he
could, he lowered himself down, only hesitating once, when he was
hanging over the dark hollow up from which came the noise of falling
water.

"Come along, herr," said Melchior encouragingly, as he leaned out of the
hole and looked up. "Down another foot, and you can find a place to
rest upon. The remainder is as easy as can be."

Saxe found it so, for it only wanted confidence, and the next minute he
was standing beside the guide and looking up from the opening as Dale
now began to descend.

Saxe had to back into the black rift to make room for Dale to come, and
he held on tightly by a projection from the rocky side of the cavern to
stand listening to the trickling of water, evidently a great way below;
and as the weird whispering sound came up, he could not repress a
shudder.

But there was no time left him for reflections about the danger, for the
next minute Dale was blocking out the light of the entrance.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "this looks a likely place. Here, let's have a
match before we move. There may be all kinds of horrible pitfalls close
at hand." He let go of the rope, which swung to and fro in front of the
opening, and took out a box of wax matches.

"I quite thought you had been down here, herr," said Melchior. Then, as
a match was struck and held up, he continued: "Yes, we must have the
lanthorn here, herr, for it is dangerous. See how the flo