ice having been
thrown, while a minute later a good-sized piece grazed the lanthorn, and
another struck Saxe on the arm.

"Hurt?" said Dale.

"Not much."

"Come on, then, and turn your axe. Don't be afraid to strike with the
handle. It is a trick being played upon us."

"Take care, herr--take care!" said Melchior, in an excited whisper, as a
couple more pieces were thrown, to shiver against the stones.

"Yes, I'll take care," said Dale angrily, as he pressed on. "Hold your
axe handle in front of your face, Saxe."

At that moment there was a rushing sound, and the goat darted by them,
startling all for the moment; but Dale went on, and now reached the
second angle.

He was in the act of passing round, when the same great hideous face
came into view, with the eyes rolling and the great mouth opened,
showing crooked blackened teeth. It was so hideous that Dale stopped
short, with his blood seeming to curdle; and when he recovered himself
and looked again, the face was gone.

"You saw!" whispered Saxe.

"Yes, I saw. What is it?--a gorilla?"

At that moment a hideous, bellowing roar came echoing down the ice
grotto, sounding so low and inhuman that it needed all Saxe's
determination to stand fast.

"What are you going to do?" whispered the boy.

"Act like a man, sir," said Dale firmly. "Here, Melchior, can you
explain this--a hideous face, like that of some deformity--a dwarf?"

"Ah!" exclaimed Melchior: "you saw that? I thought so, from that cry."

"Well, what is it? Do you know?"

"Yes, I know!" cried the guide angrily: "who could be so weak? Come on,
herr. Give Herr Saxe the light, and be ready to help me. He is as
strong as a lion if he attacks us, but he will not dare. Throw at
travellers, will he? Come on."

Melchior was already striding forward, with his axe handle ready; and,
angry at getting no farther explanation, Dale followed, with Saxe close
up, now taking and holding the lanthorn on high so that it nearly
touched the icy roof.

They were not kept long in suspense, for there was another hideous cry,
which seemed to send all the blood back to the boy's heart, and then
there was a rush made from the dark part of the grotto; a loud, excited
ejaculation or two; the sound of a heavy blow delivered with a staff;
and in the dim light cast by the lanthorn Saxe saw that both Dale and
Melchior were engaged in a desperate struggle.

The boy's position was exciting in the extreme, and th