steadily journeying on, munch
the sweet, fresh food.

In spite of the delay it was still early; and, feeling no trace of his
last night's weariness, Saxe tramped on along the zigzag shelf in the
valley side, till the edge of the steep part was reached. Melchior
strode off to the right, and then to the left, so as to reach the narrow
valley down which the stream came that had supplied them with water for
their morning's bath.

This was a mere crack running up into the mountains, but with a little
care a path was found upon the steep alp which formed one side, and when
this became too precipitous, they descended into the rocky bed, and
slowly made their way on till an opportunity for ascending to higher
ground presented itself.

The progress made was very slow, but wonderfully interesting, from the
variety of moisture-loving plants which took Dale's attention, and the
brightly coloured insects, which took that of Saxe, while the mule was
perfectly content to wait while a halt was called to capture insect or
secure plant; the solemn-looking animal standing fetlock-deep in the
water, and browsing on the herbage in the various crannies among the
stones.

One of these halts was in an opening out of the narrow gorge running
nearly east and west, so that it was flooded by the morning sun; and
here, as the limpid water trickled and glided over the sandy bed, Dale
took a shallow tin from the mule's pannier and lowered himself down to
the edge of the stream.

Taking hold of a piece of rock so as to reach out, he bent down and
scooped out half a panful of sand, where there was an eddy; and as the
mule began to munch, and Saxe watched his leader's acts, Melchior pulled
out his pipe, struck a match, and began to smoke.

"The herr is going to try for gold," he said quietly to Saxe; but Dale
heard it.

"Yes. Is there much here, do you think?"

"It is too much to say, herr," replied the guide. "There may be, but I
have never known any to be found on this side of the mountains."

"Is any found on the other side, then?"

"Oh yes, on the Italian slope, herr, and down in the valleys, they seek
for and find gold--not much, but some."

"Got any, sir?" said Saxe.

"I don't know myself," replied Dale, who was washing the heavier gravel
away, and picking out the stones he brought to the surface by a skilful
motion of the pan beneath the water. "I must wash out all the sand
first before I look to see if there is colour, as the