ow. But, I say, how long have we been
carrying on this game? Suppose my fire's out!"

He gave the mule a final pat, and then hurried back to the tent, where
the fire was burning steadily, but wanted replenishing. This done, he
looked at the sleepers, who were both like the Irishman in the old
story, paying attention to it; then Saxe told himself that he would
continue his watch.

This idea seemed so droll that he could not refrain from smiling.

"Rather a queer way of keeping watch," he said, "going off like that.
Never mind: there's nothing much to steal, and no one to steal it. But
I suppose I ought to stop; only the worst of it is, if I stop here I
begin feeling hungry."

The temptation came over him to examine the stores which Melchior had
brought on the previous day, but he resisted it; and by dint of walking
about using Dale's glass to examine the different peaks and snowfields
in the distance, the time passed till Dale woke with a start and sprang
up.

"Ah, Saxe, my lad, have I overslept myself?--No? Well, it's time I was
up. All right? That's well. Now, this ought to be an important day
for us," he continued, as he rapidly prepared himself for the journey.
"We must creep into that grotto somehow, and with plenty of light. I
expect we shall find it quite a treasure-house. But," he said at last,
"I think you may wake up Melchior now."

"I am awake, herr," said the guide, rising. "It is just the time I had
settled to sleep."

In a few minutes they were ready for breakfast, and as they began
Melchior drew from the pannier a portion of the provision he had
brought, smiling as he placed it upon the slab of rock which served them
as a table.

"What are you laughing at?" said Saxe.

"Oh, only about being a boy like you once, herr, and thinking that when
I was your age I too could eat one breakfast and feel ready for another
in an hour."

"I felt ready for one an hour ago, but I didn't have one," said Saxe.
"No, it was two hours ago."

"But the herr did have a breakfast one or two hours ago."

"I?" said Saxe sharply. "No, I didn't have anything."

The guide looked at him wonderingly, then at the provisions he was
setting down, and ended by shrugging his shoulders.

"I beg the young herr's pardon. I thought he did," said Melchior
quietly; and for the time the incident was forgotten.

Half an hour later Gros was brought up, provisions packed, the
geological hammer and a cold chisel put insi