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The Crystal Hunters: A Boy's Adventures in the Higher Alps, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 30. Within A Hair's Breadth |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY. WITHIN A HAIR'S BREADTH A long and tiresome climb over and amongst the shattered blocks which filled the lower part of the chasm; but with the help of previous knowledge they got along pretty quickly, till they reached the rocks beneath the narrow opening--a place which looked so insignificant that the wonder was that it 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 another or two, and perhaps combine pleasure with profit. Let's see: we must be getting near the cave." "Round that next corner," said Saxe decisively. "How do you know?" "Because I can see the piece of black overhanging rock which I felt compelled to stare at all the time I was stuck fast on that shelf. But, I say, Mr Dale, do you feel pretty sure that Melchior will be back at the tent when we get there?" "I cannot be certain; but--no--yes--I can be certain," said Dale quickly. "I am sure he will not be waiting for us at the tent." His manner puzzled the lad, who looked at him curiously. "Well?" "What made you change so suddenly, sir? One minute you thought one way, the next minute you thought differently." "Because I had good reasons," replied Dale. "Look!" Saxe looked here and there, and in every direction but the one indicated by Dale's nod. "I don't see anything, sir." "Try again, boy. There, on that stone, with his back to us." "A chamois!" cried Saxe eagerly. "Chamois don't smoke pipes, my lad," said Dale laughingly. "I see now," cried Saxe, and he burst out into his imitation of a Swiss jodel, which was answered back as Dale thrust his fingers into his ears. The boy looked at him as he ceased his cry, and a curious smile puckered up his face. "Don't you like Melchior's jodel, sir?" he said drily. Dale understood him, and responded with a laugh; but no more was said, for Melchior sprang down from the rock which he had made his observatory as lightly as a goat, and came to meet them. "Back again, then," said Dale. "Yes, herr; and I found your note with the stick through it by the tent door." "You mean with the stone lying upon it?" "No, herr: a piece of sharpened pine-wood, driven through it to hold it down." "Ah, well, you found it," said Dale, with an uneasy glance at Saxe, whose forehead had grown wrinkled. "Yes, herr, I found it, and followed you till I saw your mark on the ice, and came up here." "You felt, then, that we came up this ravine!" "Oh yes, herr; and I was not surprised. It is one of the places I thought likely for crystals, and I see you have found some." "Pound some? How do you know?" cried Saxe. "Because I see you have been to one cave and left some of your treasure behind. I found this just inside the way leading to it." "Then you climbed up?" said Saxe, taking a little crystal of the size of his finger from the guide's hand. "No, herr; I climbed down," replied Melchior. "From where? Did you come over the top?" "No, herr; from the mouth, by the glacier, I came right along the bottom, and turned down into the chasm below." "What chasm below?" said Dale eagerly. "Is it possible the herr does not know?" "We have seen no chasm but this one." "Then you have not found a cave for crystals?" "Oh yes!" said Saxe: "there it is;" and he pointed up at the face of the narrow valley to where the dark opening looked like a black mark on the rock. "I see," said Melchior, looking up. "Yes, that looks a likely place too. I had not seen that." "It has quite large crystals in it," said Dale. "Then the herr has been up to see?" "Yes, Saxe found it; but it is very difficult to get to. How are we to climb up and fasten a rope!" "It is quite easy," said the guide; and, going back, he made for the ledge, along which he made his way coolly enough till he came to the gap, across which he leaped, thrust his hand into the orifice, and then, to Saxe's horror, leaped back again with wonderful activity, came down and joined them. "These things have been so little asked for that they have not half been hunted out. I could have got hundredweights if I had known that they were of value to make it worth while." "But that is a good cavern up there," cried Saxe, who now breathed more freely, as he saw the guide safely down without breaking his neck. "Oh yes, herr, I dare say; but the one I have found is, I think, better." "Show us it," said Dale. And after going back about a hundred yards, Melchior suddenly disappeared as if by magic. "Hi! Melchior! where are you!" "Here, herr," he replied, showing himself again from behind one of the great jagged masses of stone which strewed the ravine. "There is a great crack here." They climbed over some awkward rocks and joined him, to find that a dismal chasm of great depth went off here at a sharp angle; and some little distance down one of its rugged walls he pointed out a dark opening which seemed unapproachable at first, though a little further examination showed that it was quite possible for a cool-headed man to get down--one who would not think of the dark depths below. "How came you to find this place?" said Saxe. "We have come by here three times now without seeing it." "I told you, herr. I found that crystal just there at the entrance to the narrow split--by the stone where you saw me standing." "And that made you think there must be a crystal cavern near?" "Yes, herr; and there it is. I wonder it has never been found before. And yet I do not, for no one but an Englishman would think of coming in a place like this." "Have you been down to it?" "Oh yes, herr. It is easy enough to get to; but we will have the rope, to make it easier. Will you come down?" "Yes; let's see it," said Dale eagerly, while Saxe felt a curious sensation of shrinking as he saw the guide secure one end of his rope to the nearest block of stone that stood up clear. "Is that strong enough?" said Dale. "Oh yes, herr; it is not a loose stone, but a solid piece of the rock, and would bear a dozen of us. I will go down first." He took hold of the rope, slipped over the edge of the shelf upon which they stood, and lowered himself down from buttress to ledge and projecting block, and stood the next minute inside the narrow crack. "Will you go next, Saxe?" The boy did not reply, but, imitating Melchior's actions as nearly as he could, he lowered himself down, only hesitating once, when he was hanging over the dark hollow up from which came the noise of falling water. "Come along, herr," said Melchior encouragingly, as he leaned out of the hole and looked up. "Down another foot, and you can find a place to rest upon. The remainder is as easy as can be." Saxe found it so, for it only wanted confidence, and the next minute he was standing beside the guide and looking up from the opening as Dale now began to descend. Saxe had to back into the black rift to make room for Dale to come, and he held on tightly by a projection from the rocky side of the cavern to stand listening to the trickling of water, evidently a great way below; and as the weird whispering sound came up, he could not repress a shudder. But there was no time left him for reflections about the danger, for the next minute Dale was blocking out the light of the entrance. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "this looks a likely place. Here, let's have a match before we move. There may be all kinds of horrible pitfalls close at hand." He let go of the rope, which swung to and fro in front of the opening, and took out a box of wax matches. "I quite thought you had been down here, herr," said Melchior. Then, as a match was struck and held up, he continued: "Yes, we must have the lanthorn here, herr, for it is dangerous. See how the floor is split up into great holes." Feeble as the light of the match proved, it was bright enough to show that; and, when nearly burned out, Dale threw it from him, and it fell, still burning, down and down till it was a tiny spark and it was impossible to say at last whether it went out or disappeared still burning in the great depth below. "Why, Saxe, we have hit at last upon a veritable crystal mine," said Dale, as he held up a fresh match above his head, whose light was reflected from the facets of hundreds upon hundreds of crystals depending from the roof and sides, and, as far as they could see for the tiny glow, encircling the whole place; while Saxe now found that the projection by which he held was a hexagonal piece as clear as glass. "Yes, herr," said the guide triumphantly: "this is what you wished for." "No," said Dale, throwing away the end of the match again. "Very interesting, Melchior; but not what I meant." "Then I have not understood the herr," said the guide, in a disappointed tone. "Oh yes; and brought us to the part of the mountains where these wonders of Nature are to be found. These are beautiful, but, as far as I can see, all very small." "But there may be big ones, herr," cried Melchior. "May be; but it is doubtful here. There, it does not matter, for in the other cave--that to which you climbed--there are splendid specimens." "Is the herr quite sure?" "Yes, for we brought one away, and Saxe hid it somewhere, and has forgotten the place." "Mr Dale!" cried Saxe indignantly. "Well, then, I did," said Dale, laughing. "There, both of you, I am quite content. I should not have murmured about these, but we have at our command some that are incomparably better; and to-morrow we will come properly prepared with lights, chisels and hammer, and see what we can do." "I am very glad, herr; and I have one peak I can take you up--the Blitzenhorn--where I am nearly sure we can find the finest yet." "Good: we will try it. Now let's get back and dine." "Yes, that will be wise," said the guide, as Saxe pricked up his ears at the suggestion. "I journeyed nearly all last night, herr, so as to get back soon; and I hurried on as soon as I found your letter with the pine skewer through it." "Under the stone, Melchior." "No, herr: stuck down into the crack between two pieces of rock." Dale said no more; and Saxe thought it strange, for he remembered the incident of securing the message perfectly. "But Melk was tired and sleepy: he fancied it was secured like that," Saxe said to himself. He had no time to think more, for Dale spoke to him. "Now, my lad," he said, "up with you; or shall one of us go first?" "Oh, I'll go," said Saxe, turning to the gloomy opening, and reaching out his hand for the dull grey rope, which showed clearly against the black face of rock on the opposite side, not twenty feet away. "Get a good hold, herr; next turn face inward, and swing yourself a little sidewise; then you will be on good climbing rock, and can easily get up." Saxe nodded, took hold of the rope, turned round, reached up as high as he could, and then was about to throw his whole weight upon it, when it gave way, and came down upon him. This, with the surprise, threw him off his balance, and he would have gone down backward, headlong to the bottom of the narrow cleft, but for the action of the guide, who darted out one hand and caught him. _ |
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