"Continue the search," said Dale sternly; and the next day and the next
they toiled on, going farther and farther into the mountains, but there
was no other result than weariness.

"It's enough to make one believe in Melchior's goblins," said Dale
petulantly, "all those beautiful crystals to have been spirited away
like that. But never mind: we shall find them to-morrow, I feel sure."

But when to-morrow came Dale did not feel so sure; and, altering his
mind, to Saxe's great delight, they took the mule and started for the
grotto once again.

Dale went first, and the mule followed, Saxe walking behind with
Melchior, until they reached the black ravine.

"I am glad," the boy said, as they trudged along over the rock and ice.
"It was all waste of time trying to catch those fellows."

"Yes, herr--quite."

"Have you no idea as to whom it could be, Melk?"

"No, herr, not the least. Mr Dale must have talked about his journey
to some one as you came, and clever people have been let to watch you."

"Well, it's no use crying over spilt milk, even if it is Swiss milk,"
said Saxe, laughing.

The guide looked at him wonderingly. He was very proficient in English,
but proverbs puzzled him, and he shook his head.

"Well, then," said Saxe, laughing, "it's of no use to throw away time
when we can use it to advantage. Do you understand that!"

"Quite," said Melchior. "We must get a very great load of the crystals
to-day, and make sure of them. It will be a splendid find, if we pick
the best--grander than has ever been made here before."

"And I discovered them," said Saxe proudly. "Yes, herr; you discovered
them," said the guide, smiling. Saxe coloured.

"He's laughing at me," he said to himself, as he hurried on to overtake
Dale. "I do wish I was not so conceited."

They had a brief halt at the mouth of the black ravine, toiled up it
till they reached Gros's tethering place, and then went on.

"I have been thinking," said Dale, as Saxe climbed on beside him, "that
we ought to have swept away all those chips of stone after we opened the
place."

"You both thought no one likely to climb up here," replied Saxe.

"Yes: we thought so, Saxe," said Dale rather shortly; and then the toil
of the climbing among and over the sharp crags put an end to their
conversation, and they kept on till they were beneath the narrow crevice
with the fragments of stone chipped out by Melchior lying just as they
had been left.

"