The Crystal Hunters Part 57

"Ah! that's right, my boy," he cried. "I shall be glad of a cup of coffee."

"Is your arm better, sir?" said Saxe.

"My arm is better, comrade," replied Dale, smiling. "I thought we had decided that there was to be no 'sir' out here, but only a brotherly salute, as befits mountaineers."

"I had forgotten," said Saxe; "and the other seems so natural. I am glad it is better."

"Thanks, lad. I've been to the little cascade, and held it under the icy cold water as it fell. The numb chill seems to have done it no end of good."

"You should have spoken to me when it was so bad in the night."

"I could not," said Dale, looking at him wonderingly.

"Was it so very bad, then?"

"No; it was not bad at all. I did not feel it till I got up."

"That's when I mean--while it was dark."

"You've been dreaming, Saxe. I did not get up when it was dark; and, by the way, when did you get up and open the tent door?"

"I didn't," cried Saxe: "it was open. I felt the cold when you woke me with getting up and going in and out."

"Why, Saxe," cried Dale, seizing the boy by the shoulder, "do you mean to say you heard me moving about in the night?"

"Some time when it was dark; and I thought you were dressing."

"This is very strange," cried Dale, who looked puzzled.

"Hah!" cried Saxe excitedly; "where did you put the crystal?"

"In the leather bag that I used for a pillow."

"Then it couldn't have been that," said Saxe, in a disappointed way. "I thought--"

"I don't know so much about that," cried Dale excitedly; and he ran into the tent, dropped upon his knees by the leather bag, and tore it open.

"Gone!" he said.

"That's what I thought," cried Saxe excitedly. "Then there is some one keeps on watching us, and he stole that crystal in the night."

Dale closed the bag with a snap, and stood gazing up at his companion for some minutes in silence.

"This is very ugly, Saxe," he said; "and I don't like it."

"But that's it, isn't it?" cried the boy.

"I am afraid so. I can only think you must be right, unless one of us took it."

"Took it!" cried Saxe. "Oh, Mr Dale, you don't think I would take it?"

"No, my lad, of course not," cried Dale, bringing his hand down on the boy's shoulder with a hearty slap; "but I think it's quite likely that after the excitement of yesterday, and the remarks you made just before lying down, that you may have dreamed that the crystal was not safe, and taken it and hid it somewhere."

"Oh, impossible!" cried the boy.

"No, quite possible; and if you have not done this, I think it is quite likely that I may. Why, Saxe, our brains were regularly crystallised last night."

"Oh! I don't think it's anything to laugh at," said the boy seriously.

"It could not have been, for I was awakened by hearing some one moving about."

"Yes; and you thought it was I."

"Yes."

"Then it must have been, and sooner or later we shall find where I have hidden it. Come: you are sure it was I? You saw me?"

"No; it was too dark for that. I only thought it was you."

"Then it must have been, for you would have felt the difference in some way if it had been any one strange. Well, I'm glad of it, Saxe; for it would have been ugly and unpleasant coming to rob us wherever we rested.

Why, of course, I remember!"

"What--taking it?" cried Saxe.

"No. What did I say about fastening the door, so as not to tempt burglars?"

"I remember you said something of the kind, but I was terribly sleepy."

"You were. Well, I said that; and of course I went and dreamed about burglars, and got up, I suppose, in my sleep to take care of the crystal. There, don't worry about it any more, and let's have breakfast."

"But the stones, the figure I saw, and the night alarm?"

"Oh, fancy, I dare say, boy," cried Dale, pouring out his mug of coffee, while the boy followed suit, but with his brow wrinkled up with trouble.

"Pity we have no milk. That's the worst of being too high up in the mountains. Come, eat away! the bacon's cooked better than Melchior's, and he's almost the prince of bacon chefs."

"I--I don't feel as if I can eat any breakfast this morning," said Saxe drearily.

"Nonsense, boy! Why, even if it were as you have imagined, what would it matter? We should only have to take extra precautions: set a watch, perhaps, as the sailors do. We shall have Melchior back soon, and we shall hear what he has to say. There, go on--eat. You can't work without. We've found one crystal cave, and that encourages us to find more. You can't help me if you starve yourself; and I want to get you up to the top of one of the highest mountains about here yet."

The result was that Saxe made a very hearty breakfast; for after the first mouthful or two, he forgot his mental troubles, and obeyed his companion with all his might.

The meal ended, the wallet was stored with all they would require for the day; and as Saxe arranged the contents, he looked up at his companion.

"What is it?--something else gone?"

"No," replied Saxe: "I mean yes--gone. There will be scarcely anything left to eat for tea when we come back, unless Melchior is here."

"Ah, yes, Melchior," said Dale, taking out his pocketbook and writing down in German--

"Gone up the right side of the glacier. Look out for cross chipped in the ice opposite a black ravine."