had not escaped Saxe's eyes.

"Now," said Dale, gazing up, "what we have to do is to puzzle out some
easy way of getting up and down. What do you say, Saxe?"

"I think we ought to have a strong iron bolt or bar driven into a crack
just above the cave; then tie a rope to it, and it will be easy enough
to go up and down."

"First catch your hare," cried Dale merrily. "How is the bar or bolt to
be driven in, my lad?"

"Oh, something after the fashion of our getting up there yesterday."

"Oh yes; something after the fashion of yesterday's attempt. Do you
know, Saxe, I think we both had enough of that job yesterday; and but
for the discovery of the crystals we should have been sadly out of
heart."

"Let's leave it till Melchior comes back," said Saxe, as a way out of
the difficulty.

Dale nodded, and after another long look at the crack in the solid rock
and its surroundings, they turned their attention to a farther climb up
the ravine to try whether it would be possible to get out there and make
their way across.

Another long and tedious climb ensued, during which, without declaring
the way to be impassable, they both averred that it was so extremely
difficult that they thought it would be of no utility, and after some
four hours' hard work assisting each other up by means of ice-axe and
rope, they were glad to begin the descent.

But the toil was not altogether barren, for two niches were found where
there seemed to be every likelihood of crystals existing within the
caves, whose mouths they seemed to be, and after a certain time devoted
to refreshing they turned to go back.

"I doubt very much whether any one could get along this way, Saxe," said
Dale, as he held the rope for his young companion to slide down,
afterwards doubling it for his own use, so as to have a great loop round
a block to enable him to loosen one end and draw upon the other.

"I hope they'd enjoy the hard work if they could," said Saxe
breathlessly. "Oh, what a lot of bits of skin one does knock off up
here!"

"Good for the sticking-plaster makers, Saxe," said Dale. "Come along,
my lad: the sun beats down very hot here."

"But what are we going to do to-day?" asked Saxe.

"Nothing. This has only been a reconnoitring trip. To-morrow we shall
have Melchior back, and we can get to work in earnest."

"But are we going to do nothing else but get crystals? Aren't we going
to climb any more mountains?"

"Oh yes: we must do anoth