n its stream into quite a large river for a few hours.

"Well?" said Dale, inquiringly, as he returned with Saxe from watching
the rush of waters and the beauty of the fresh snow.

"Well, herr?" said the guide quietly.

"What do you think? Could we start back now and get to Andregg's chalet
to-night?"

"It is not impossible, herr; but the walking would be slippery and bad,
every stream so swollen that they would be dangerous to wade, and the
distance is so great that--"

"Well, go on. Why do you stop?"

"I had forgotten the schlucht, herr. We could not get through there.
It would be terribly swollen. The water is close up to or over the
path, and--No, I should not like to be answerable for your safety. No,
herr, we must wait till to-morrow."

"But we shall not have enough to eat," said Saxe.

"Plenty, though only simple," said Dale, smiling. "Come, Saxe, that's
not like talking like a mountaineer. To-morrow morning, then: will that
do, Melchior?"

"I think so, herr. I am sure about our way to the mouth of the
schlucht. Then we can see."

The morning dawned with the different falls wonderfully reduced; and
after a breakfast that was exactly what Dale had said overnight, an
early start was made, so that they were well on their way by the time
that the sun began to tinge the tops of the mountains, which, seen now
from a different point of view, seemed more beautiful than before.

Then by degrees the various familiar parts came into sight, till they
neared and descended into the open valley along which the river ran, and
at last came to a halt close to the mouth of the gorge, where the fount
gushed down and joined the water at their feet.

The horror and dread they had felt came back to their memories as they
gazed down at the murky stream, rushing furiously along, now evidently
many feet deeper than when they had passed that way; and Melchior drew
their attention to the fact that it must have been much higher up the
rocks on the previous day.

"What do you think of it?" asked Dale.

"There is a great deal of water, herr; but I think the path will be all
clear. Now it is so full, the water will flow more quietly."

"But the mule: do you think you can get it through?"

"Oh yes, herr."

"But suppose it falls from one of these narrow places?" said Saxe
excitedly.

"Oh, then we should have to go back and get it ashore, and try again,
herr. Gros knows the way by water."

"But surely that anima