heads," replied
Dale. "Shall you mind?"

"Mind?" said Saxe, plumping himself down in the hay. "Well, it seems so
queer. I can't undress and lie in this stuff: see how it would tickle.
It is pretty soft, though, and--Oh! murder!"

"What's the matter?" cried Dale excitedly: "some insect?"

"No, it's a jolly old stumpy thistle, like the top of a young pineapple.
It did prick.--Yes, it is pretty soft, and it smells nice, and heigh ho
hum! how tired I am!"

"You'll take the other corner, Melchior," said Dale; "I'll lie here.
There is no occasion to fasten the door, I suppose?"

"Fasten the door!" said the guide, with a quiet laugh. "Oh no. The
only intruder likely to come is the wind, and he might open it and bang
it, but he will not be abroad to-night. Look!"

"Look! what at?"

The guide pointed to the corner where Saxe had lain down, making a
pillow of his arm.

Dale smiled.

"Comfortable, Saxe boy?"

There was no reply. The hay made a pleasant, sweetly scented couch.
Saxe was fast asleep.

CHAPTER SIX.

A TRY FOR GOLD.

Strange places bring strange dreams, and often some hours of complete
oblivion. Saxe began to dream with all his might. Body and Brain had
been having the thorough rest which comes to those who have been walking
far in the glorious mountain air; but toward morning Brain woke up and
began to act on its own account, while Body lay asleep; and when Brain
does this without the balance given by Body, its workings are rather
wild.

In this case it began to repeat the adventures of the day before, but in
a curiously bizarre manner; and in consequence Saxe found himself being
disappointed in the heights of the mountains, which were exceedingly
small--mere anthills covered with snow, up which he began to climb so as
to stand on their tops; but as he climbed they began to grow, so that
there was always a piece more to get up, and so he went on, finding that
there was no getting right to the top. Then avalanches began to fall
rumbling and roaring down, and covering people at the bottom--hundreds
of them, so it seemed to him; and he could hear them moaning under the
snow, which by some curious chance of circumstances was just below him.
But the odd thing was that they did not seem to mind it much, only
moaning piteously and impatiently, as if they were in a hurry for a thaw
to come and set them free. Then one of them began to ring the bell for
dinner; and another did the same; and Sa