The Crystal Hunters: A Boy's Adventures in the Higher Alps

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

  MELCHIOR WAKES UP.

  The boy's lips parted, but no words came; his arm was raised with itsweapon, but he could not strike--only stand shivering; until, by atremendous effort, he flung himself round and dashed back.

  "Why, hallo, lad! what is it? Have you seen a ghost?"

  Saxe tried to speak, but no words would come for a few moments.

  "Yes--no," he panted at last. "Something dreadful--in there."

  Dale caught up the ice-axe which he had laid down while he wasmeasuring, and turned to the guide.

  "What is it likely to be, Melchior--a bear?"

  "I cannot say, herr," said the guide, whose countenance changed a littleas he, too, caught up his ice-axe. "But I should think not--in there."

  "No--not a bear," panted Saxe. "I saw it--last night. Horrible--horrible."

  "Don't rave like a hysterical girl, my lad," cried Dale, grasping Saxe'sarm. "Now, then: speak out--like a man. Is it the body of some poorcreature dead?"

  "No--no," said Saxe, struggling to master himself, and now speakingcalmly: "I went to the fall to drink in the middle of the night, and Isaw it there. It cast lumps of ice at me, and I saw it close to thelanthorn."

  "A wild beast?"

  "No," said Saxe, with a shudder.

  "Come; you must not be scared like that, my lad. What was it?"

  "I don't know; unless it is true that there are gnomes and kobolds, andthis is one."

  "Well, then, boy--it is not true, and this is not one."

  "No--no: of course not," said Saxe, who was now strung up. "It must bea man."

  "Of course. What do you say, Melchior?"

  "That it must be a man trying to frighten him, herr. We will go andsee."

  "Yes," said Dale calmly, taking the lanthorn: "we must go and see. Weshall be back directly, Saxe."

  "I am coming with you," said the boy firmly. "I am ashamed to have beenso frightened, but it was very horrible."

  Dale gripped his arm firmly.

  "Well done, brother mountaineer," he whispered. "Come along."

  He strode into the ice-cave, closely followed by Saxe, and Melchior wentin after him.

  "These English: they are very brave," he muttered. "I must go, too."

  Dale went on, holding the lanthorn on high, and his ice-axe so that itcould be used as a cudgel in case of attack; and as soon as the firstbend was passed there were clear evidences of pieces of ice having beenthrown, while a minute later a good-sized piece grazed the lanthorn, andanother struck Saxe on the arm.

  "Hurt?" said Dale.

  "Not much."

  "Come on, then, and turn your axe. Don't be afraid to strike with thehandle. It is a trick being played upon us."

  "Take care, herr--take care!" said Melchior, in an excited whisper, as acouple more pieces were thrown, to shiver against the stones.

  "Yes, I'll take care," said Dale angrily, as he pressed on. "Hold youraxe handle in front of your face, Saxe."

  At that moment there was a rushing sound, and the goat darted by them,startling all for the moment; but Dale went on, and now reached thesecond angle.

  He was in the act of passing round, when the same great hideous facecame into view, with the eyes rolling and the great mouth opened,showing crooked blackened teeth. It was so hideous that Dale stoppedshort, with his blood seeming to curdle; and when he recovered himselfand looked again, the face was gone.

  "You saw!" whispered Saxe.

  "Yes, I saw. What is it?--a gorilla?"

  At that moment a hideous, bellowing roar came echoing down the icegrotto, sounding so low and inhuman that it needed all Saxe'sdetermination to stand fast.

  "What are you going to do?" whispered the boy.

  "Act like a man, sir," said Dale firmly. "Here, Melchior, can youexplain this--a hideous face, like that of some deformity--a dwarf?"

  "Ah!" exclaimed Melchior: "you saw that? I thought so, from that cry."

  "Well, what is it? Do you know?"

  "Yes, I know!" cried the guide angrily: "who could be so weak? Come on,herr. Give Herr Saxe the light, and be ready to help me. He is asstrong as a lion if he attacks us, but he will not dare. Throw attravellers, will he? Come on."

  Melchior was already striding forward, with his axe handle ready; and,angry at getting no farther explanation, Dale followed, with Saxe closeup, now taking and holding the lanthorn on high so that it nearlytouched the icy roof.

  They were not kept long in suspense, for there was another hideous cry,which seemed to send all the blood back to the boy's heart, and thenthere was a rush made from the dark part of the grotto; a loud, excitedejaculation or two; the sound of a heavy blow delivered with a staff;and in the dim light cast by the lanthorn Saxe saw that both Dale andMelchior were engaged in a desperate struggle.

  The boy's position was exciting in the extreme, and thought afterthought flashed through his brain as to what he should do, the resultbeing that he did nothing, only held the lanthorn, so that those whostruggled and wrestled, before him could see.

  In spite of the hoarse, inhuman howling he could hear close to him, allsuperstitious notions were now gone. Dale and Melchior were tooevidently engaged with human beings like themselves; and the nextinstant there was a heavy blow, a cry and a fall.

  "Rightly served," cried Melchior, "whoever you are. Now, herr, you holdhim, and I'll use my rope."

  "Quick, then!" panted Dale hoarsely: "he's too strong for me. Hah!"

  Dale was heavily thrown, and Saxe could dimly see a short, squat figureupon his breast. Then he saw Melchior appear out of the gloom, andquick as lightning twist a loop of the rope tightly round the arms ofthe figure, binding them to its side.

  "Now, herr, up with you," cried Melchior, "and help me. Show the light,Herr Saxe. Ah! that's right: down on his face. Good. Your foot on theback of his neck. Now I have him. Good English rope: he will not breakthat."

  As the guide spoke he wound his rope round the figure's hands, which hehad dragged behind its back, and tied them fast, serving the legs in thesame way, in spite of the fierce howlings and horrible yellings made.

  "That will do," cried the guide at last, and he stooped down over hisprisoner. "Not hurt, are you, herr?"

  "Well--yes, I am. It was like wrestling with a bull, and he has bittenmy arm."

  "Not through your clothes, herr?" cried the guide excitedly.

  "No: I suppose it is only like a pinch; but it was as if it were nippedin a vice."

  "Show the light here, young herr," continued Melchior, as he turned thecaptive over. "He is beautiful, is he not?"

  "Horrible!" ejaculated Dale, with a shudder. "Good heavens! who andwhat is he?"

  "The most hideous cretin in Switzerland, herr. Poor wretch! he had nobrains, but his strength is terrible. He is from the valley next toAndregg's. I don't know what he can be doing here."

  "I know," cried Saxe excitedly: "watching us."

  "No," said Melchior: "he has not the sense, unless--Here, I must havehit some one else in the dark. There were two. Give me the light!"

  He snatched the lanthorn and stepped farther in, to bend down overanother prostrate figure.

  "It is!" he cried. "Pierre! I don't quite understand as yet. It mustbe--yes, I see. The wretch!--it is his doing. He must have beenwatching us, and set this creature--this animal--to do his work--do whathe wanted. But no: Herr Dale, Herr Saxe, I am puzzled."

  "Hooray!" shouted Saxe. "I have it!"

  "What!" cried Dale, who was stanching the blood which flowed from hisnose.

  "The crystals!" cried Saxe. "They must have hidden them here."

  Melchior took a dozen steps farther into the ice-cave, having to stoopnow, and then he uttered a triumphant jodel.

  "Come here, herrs!" he cried, holding down the lanthorn. "Look! Allare here."

  Saxe darted forward, to be followed more cautiously by Dale, and theparty stood gazing down at the glittering heap of magnifice
nt crystalshidden there as the least likely place to be searched.

  For, as Pierre afterwards confessed, he had heard the plans made as hestood, on their first coming, in the stable, and then and theredetermined to possess himself of the valuable specimens the Englishparty and their guide might find. In spite of his vacant look, he waspossessed of plenty of low cunning, and he at once secured the dog-likeservices of the cretin, who had been his companion in the mountains foryears, and obeyed him with the dumb fidelity of a slave.

  The task was comparatively easy, for their knowledge of the mountains inthat wild neighbourhood was far greater than Melchior's. The cretin'sstrength and activity were prodigious, and he readily learned his lessonfrom his master, with the result that has been seen.

  CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

  CLEAR AS CRYSTAL.

  Pierre had received so severe a blow from Melchior's axe handle that hewas stunned, and when he came to he was so cowed and beaten that he wentdown on his knees, owned to everything, and begged for mercy, with theresult that the miserable inhuman deformity grasped the position, and,uttering piteous whines and howls, seemed to be imploring mercy, too.

  "Look here, Pierre," said Melchior: "I have but to send down to thevillage to get a messenger to take a letter to the town, and the policewill fetch you to prison."

  "No, no," pleaded the culprit, and he implored for mercy again in themost abject terms.

  "A year in prison would do him good, herr," said Melchior. "He is noSwitzer, but a disgrace to his country. We Swiss are honest, honourablemen, and he is a thief."

  Pierre fell on his knees, and began to ask for pity again. "Get up,dog!" cried Melchior; and turning from him he began to untie the hideousdeformity whose wild eyes were watching them in a frightened way.

  "What are you going to do?" cried Dale. "You forget how strong he is."

  "No, herr, I remember; and I am going to make use of it; he is tamednow. Look here, Pierre, you and Mad Fritz will carry those crystals alldown to Andregg's."

  "Yes, Herr Melchior--yes," cried Pierre abjectly.

  "Stop! You can have the mule to help you, and for the next journey youcan bring the donkey too."

  "Yes, Herr Melchior; but you will not let the English nobleman send meto prison," he cried.

  "We shall see. Get to work, both of you, and bring out the best. Theherr will choose which."

  "Yes," cried the man eagerly; and Melchior turned to Dale. "You willhave a fair mule-load taken down to the chalet at once, herr, will younot?"

  "Yes, of course."

  "Good; and we can leave the others here, and send these two to fetchthem."

  "But you can't trust them," whispered Saxe. "Oh yes, I can, herr, now,"said Melchior proudly. "The law is very strong here in this canton; andbeing so strong, it is seldom put in force. People are honest here, inspite of what this man has done. My life on it now, herr, Pierre willbring every crystal down to the chalet."

  "But the cretin?"

  "Will do exactly as he is told. Here, Pierre, take Gros and go to ourcamp. Bring the tent and everything back here while we get out thecrystals. Take Fritz with you."

  "Yes, Herr Melchior," said the man humbly; and then, turning to thecretin, he said something in a curious harsh guttural way, and the poorcreature sprang after him and out into the day.

  "Then you feel that you can trust them?" said Dale.

  "Yes, herr, you may be sure of that. Everything will be taken down toAndregg's--never fear. Ah! how plain everything seems now! The stonesthrown at us--eh?"

  "Never mind about them," cried Saxe excitedly. "You've sent those twooff with the mule, and they'll take away our lunch, and I'm gettinghungry now."

  "Sure, I had forgotten," cried the guide, and he ran out. They heardhim jodel and check Pierre and his hideous companion, so that the foodwas left behind.

  This seen to, Melchior resumed what he was about to say in the ice-cave.

  "You will communicate with the authorities, herr, about your greatfind?"

  "Of course," said Dale.

  "That will frighten Pierre, when they come to take charge of thecrystals. You cannot punish that poor Heaven-smitten creature Fritz."

  "No, certainly not."

  "Then I would ask you, herr, if the man Pierre is patient and obedient,not to punish him more. He is a poor half-witted creature, and thetemptation was too much for him."

  "I shall not punish him."

  "Thank you, herr."

  "But," said Saxe, "you said that the authorities would take possessionof the crystals!"

  "Yes, herr, in the name of the canton. But they will not be ungenerous.They will like good specimens for our museums; but they will let HerrDale choose and take what he wishes to his own country. It is forscience, and we Swiss are as proud to welcome all scientific men toexplore our country as we are to serve those who merely come to admireand return again and again, to see the mountains, glaciers and lakes ofour dear fatherland."

  All fell out as Melchior had foretold. Pierre and his follower soonreturned with the tent, and humbly accepted some food before loading themule, and then themselves, with some of the choicest crystals, whichwere deposited safely in Andregg's chalet. The next day they made ajourney with the two animals alone, and brought back more; and again onthe following day they set off and brought the rest, Andregg gazing withastonishment at the magnificent collection.

  In due time people from the principal city of the canton arrived, andthe whole of the crystals were taken on mules to the Rathhaus, wheresoon after Dale was invited to attend with his companion and theirguide.

  They went, and were warmly complimented by the chief magistrate and thefathers of the city upon their great discovery, following which theywere invited to choose what specimens they liked.

  They chose so very modestly that the selection was more than doubled,and in due time reached Old England's shores, to add lustre to severalcollections and museums.

  Dale kept his word about Pierre, and quietly incited Saxe to make him apresent when they went away.

  "Because he doesn't deserve it," said Saxe, who also made a point ofgiving the unfortunate cretin an object which set his eyes rolling withdelight every time it was taken out. This was a large knife with acollection of odds and ends stored in the handle: toothpick, lancetblade, tweezers, screwdriver, horse-hoof picker, and corkscrew, thelatter being, as Saxe said, so likely to prove useful.

  A month later, after a warm parting from old Andregg and his wife, whomade her apron quite wet with tears, and insisted upon presenting Saxewith a very nasty-smelling cheese of her own make, the little partyjourneyed back through the various valleys, and on to the lovely lake ofdeep waters, where the mountains rose up like walls on either side, andthen on and on to Waldberg, whence they were to start next day for home.

  And then came the parting from the guide--the brave, faithful companionof many months.

  "And now, Melchior!" said Dale, "I want you to accept this, not aspayment, but as a gift from one friend to another--a present to the manwhose hand was always ready to save us in perilous times."

  "That, herr!" said Melchior. "No, no: you have paid me nobly, and ithas not been work, but a pleasure journey with two friends."

  "Nonsense, man: take it."

  "But, herr!" cried Melchior. "That watch for a poor Swiss guide!--it isgold!"

  "Well, man, yours is a golden heart! Take it, and some day you may tellyour son that it came from an English boy and man who looked upon you asfriends. The watch was mine; the chain is from Saxe here: they areyours."

  The tears stood in Melchior's eyes as the watch was handed to Saxe, whothrust it into the guide's pocket. Then he grasped their hands.

  "Good-bye," he said, in perfect English--"Leben Sie wohl. Ah!" he criedexcitedly: "I know French but badly; but there is a farewell they have,herrs, which fits so well. The mountains are here, and everlasting. Itis nearly winter now, but the summer will come again, when the snows aremelting, and the va
lleys will be green and beautiful once more; and whenthose bright days are here I shall see that the peaks are waiting to beclimbed and that there are perils to be bravely met by those who loveour land; and then I shall pray. Herr Dale, that you will come again,and that you, Herr Saxe, will come, and, taking me by the hand, say, asyou have so often said, `where to to-day?' Make me happy, gentlemen--me, the man you called more than guide, your friend--tell me you willcome again."

  "We will, please God--we will!" cried Saxe.

  "The words I would have said," said Dale.

  "Then, now for those words of French, dear herr: Au revoir!"

  THE END.