basket had been, but apparently without allaying the hot irritation
which troubled it.

"Ah! come along Gros," cried Melchior, twining the rope bridle about his
arm; "that will soon be better. Follow pretty close, gentlemen: it is
rather dark, but cool and pleasant after the hot sunshine."

"Well done, Saxe!" said Dale, with a smile; "that's brave."

"What is, sir? I did not say or do anything."

"Yes, you did, boy," whispered Dale; and the lad flushed a little. "You
bit your lips and then set your teeth, and you said to yourself, `he
sha'n't see that I am afraid!' Didn't you?"

Saxe looked at him inquiringly, and took off his cap and wiped his brow,
while his alpenstock rested in the hollow of his arm.

"Something like it, sir," said Saxe, rather dolefully. "I couldn't help
it."

"Of course not."

"Ach! Dummkopf! What do you do?" cried the guide angrily; for just at
that moment the mule uttered a loud squeal, arched its back, and leaped
off the rock; came down on all fours, and then threw itself upon its
flanks, in spite of a jerk at the bridle; squealed again, and threw up
its legs, which fell back against the rocky wall; threw them up again,
and for a moment they were perpendicular, so well was the balance kept,
as the animal wriggled its spine so as to get a good rub on the rock.
Then, while the two travellers realised the danger of this taking place
on the narrow platform, not a dozen feet above the rushing water, and
Melchior still jerked at the bridle, over went the animal's legs toward
the edge, and it tried to gather them up for another roll.

It had another roll, but it was a roll off the edge, and almost before
Dale and his companion could fully grasp the extent of the accident, the
mule fell with a tremendous splash into the stream, jerking Melchior
after it by the wrist. Then they both disappeared. But only for a few
moments.

"Look! look!" yelled Saxe, as the mule's head shot up in the shadow
thirty or forty feet farther in, so swift was the current. Then up came
its forelegs, and it began to paw the water like a drowning dog, just as
Melchior rose to the surface, but only in time to receive the hoofs of
the struggling mule on his chest, and he disappeared again, while the
water rolled the mule over and down out of sight.

The next moment both were swept right into the gloomy cavernous place,
to what was evidently certain death.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE HORRORS OF A SCHLUCHT.

Sa