id Saxe: "somebody's having a game with us, unless Melchior's
right, and there are--"

"Boys who ought to be kicked for being so ridiculously superstitious.
There, let's have a wash in the spring, and then get to our meal. Back
directly, Melchior," he said aloud, quite in his usual voice, as he
passed close by the guide, who was now busy cooking.

Melchior bowed slowly, and went on with his work, patiently preparing
the tea-dinner, and drawing back after the return of the others as if to
leave them to partake of their meal alone.

It was a picturesque sight, and wonderfully attractive to a hungry
boy,--the steaming kettle, the glowing fire lighting up the whole niche;
and, to make the sight more enjoyable, there was the savoury smell, one
which seemed to have had a peculiar effect upon Gros, the mule, for he
had left the patch where he was picking up a good succulent meal, to
draw near and stand blinking his eyes, flapping his long ears, and
staring, till Saxe drove him off as he came to take his place.

"I say," he whispered, "poor old Melk is so upset by what you said that
he is not going to have tea with us."

"Yes, he is," said Dale quietly; and then aloud: "Melchior, I am afraid
I said hastily some words which have wounded your feelings: I beg you
will let me apologise?"

"I accept your apology, herr," said the guide quietly.

"Then we will say no more about it; so come and sit down and join us."

"The herr wishes it?"

"Yes, of course."

Melchior sat down quietly and gravely, and the meal went on without
further reference to the unpleasant incident; but Dale grew eager about
their work on the next day, chatting about the size of the crystals he
had felt, and the difficulties of enlarging the hole so that they could
creep in.

"That can soon be done, herr, if we have fine weather, but there is
lightning over the Blitzenhorn, and that may mean a storm."

"Let's hope not, for though this place is lovely now, it would be very
dreary and cold if it were wet. Now then, let's clear away and get to
sleep, for we have a long day's work before us to-morrow."

The clearance was made, and the fire raked together and made up so that
it might possibly last till morning, and then came the preparation for
sleep.

"We shall divide the night into three watches to-night, Melchior," said
Dale suddenly.

"The herr will keep watch?"

"Yes; for whoever it is that is watching and trifling with us--"

"Then the her