t will get
tired soon, and go back."

But the goat seemed to have no such intention, and it would have been a
difficult task to tire out the active creature, which was now tickling
the mule's ribs with one of its horns, now scrambling up some steep
piece of rock, now making tremendous leaps, and trotting on again as
calmly as if it were thoroughly one of the party.

In due time the foot of the great glacier was reached, after a difficult
scramble down the steep, smoothly polished rocks which shut it in on
either side.

Here the mule was unloaded by a shabby amount of pasture, ice-axes and
hammers seized, and the trio started over the level bed of the glacier
streams, the main rivulet dividing into several tiny veins, which spread
over the soft clayey earth brought down by the water. But this soon
gave place to rock as they neared the piled-up ice, which looked to Saxe
like huge masses of dull white chalk, veined in every direction with
blue.

As they advanced the rock became more and more smooth, looking as if the
ice had only lately shrunk from its surface, but, on Melchior being
referred to, he shook his head.

"Not in my time, herr. The ice is creeping farther down the valley
every year."

"Well," said Dale; "we'll try and find out the rate of its progress by
scoring the rock."

This was done in several places as they advanced toward the low arch of
ice from which the stream poured forth; and Saxe rather shrank from this
task, as it seemed to promise a long wade in chilling water.

But as they came close up, it was to find ample room beneath the glacier
to pick their way in over the rock, with the stream on their right,
where it had worn itself a channel in the course of ages.

Dale became immediately deeply interested in the structure of the ice
and the state of the rock beneath the arch, at whose entrance he paused,
while the guide under his instruction chipped marks at the edge of the
stream by which he could test the rate of progress of the glacier.

This was very interesting from a scientific point of view; but it soon
grew tedious to Saxe, who began to penetrate a little farther into the
lovely blue grotto, whose roof was a succession of the most delicate
azure tints.

"Don't go in too far alone," said Dale, looking up.

"No: I shall not go too far," replied Saxe; "and, besides, I am not
alone."

He nodded laughingly toward the goat, which had followed him in without
hesitation, sniffing at