CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
The mist on the mountain had not been without its meaning, and a heavypersistent rain kept them all the next day close in under the shelter ofthe rock, where the fire had to be lighted too, and after a great dealof difficulty this was accomplished by Melchior getting a few stout deadbranches and bringing them under cover.
These he whittled into shavings, and these shavings served to start thegreen pine boughs which had formed their beds; and once a pretty goodglow was obtained, with plenty of embers, the wetness of the branchesbrought under cover mattered very little, especially as the guide rangedthem close to the fire to dry, ready against they were required; and hadcontrived that the blinding smoke should sweep right out at once, a fewbroad branched boughs stuck in the ground or propped upright helping toestablish a draught.
The feeling of restfulness and the hot coffee were sufficient to makethe first hour tolerable, in spite of the constant dripping of the treesand the rush of water down from the natural eaves of their shelter; butafter a time it began to grow monotonous.
The outlook was not extensive either, for beyond the thick driving rainthe hollows were filled with dense mist, and the mountains around werequite invisible; and Saxe turned from gazing out between two littleshoots of water to look rather appealingly at Dale.
"What's the matter, Saxe?" said the latter.
"It's so horribly wet."
"Well, it's wet everywhere sometimes. Sit down near the fire and rest.You'll be all the better for it when the rain is over."
"But it looks as if it never would be over."
"But it will be. There: help keep up the fire, and be patient. Wecan't always be climbing."
"I say, look at that," cried Saxe, laughing; for just then the mule,which had been grazing a short distance away, troubling itself not inthe slightest degree about the rain, came slowly towards them, with itsshaggy coat looking as if it had been oiled, and the water tricklingfrom it in streams, as if it were a walking reservoir filled a littletoo full.
It was evident that it considered the rain a little too heavy now, forit thrust its head under cover, and blinked for a few moments at thefire before giving itself a tremendous shake, sending the water flyingfrom its ears, and then drooped them low down, as if holding them out tothe fire to dry.
In this position its head was in shelter, but the rain streamed downupon its back and hind quarters, while a perfect deluge, like that froma waterspout, ran down a long gully in the overhanging rock right on tothe spine just between the shoulders, and there divided to trickle oneither side down the fore legs, and then run down through the pineneedles, which formed too thick a bed for any of the water to make apool.
To the surprise of all, the mule was perfectly satisfied so long as itcould keep its head and ears in the warmth and shelter, and never onceattempted to creep in nearer; and so another hour passed, only broken bythe low murmur of Dale's voice as he talked to the guide, and the plashand rush of water. For the dripping was drowned now by the enormousamount which fell, and this went on increasing till there was quite aheavy roar, as of many falls.
"Is that anything?" said Saxe at last, as a low booming noise fell upontheir ears--a sound which gradually increased.
"A waterfall," said Melchior. "The waters on the mountains aregathering together and plunging into the valley. Listen, and you canhear others," he continued, as he held up his hand.
From apparently close at hand what sounded like the echo of the firstfall could be heard, and beyond that, farther away, another, and againanother, and so on, fainter and fainter, till the whole valley seemed tobe filled with the noise of rushing waters.
It was somewhat awe-inspiring, and suggested the possibility of a greatflood coming down upon them to sweep everything away; but at the hint ofsuch a catastrophe Melchior shook his head.
"Oh no," he said. "If we were on the bank of a big stream that mightbe, and we should have to climb up to a place of safety; but here thewaters divide a hundred ways, and will never reach us. Hah!--snow."
He held up his hand as a rushing noise was heard somewhere high up amongthe dense mists. This rapidly increased to a terrific roar, followed bya deep booming crash; and so tremendous was the sound, that the noise ofthe falling waters seemed for the moment to be hushed. Then thethunderous crash rolled right away among the mountains, dying in faintechoes, and the rush of the waterfalls filled the air once more.
"A heavy avalanche, Melchior," said Dale.
"Yes, herr; there is a great deal of snow up in the mountains, and thiswill make more."
"What, this rain?" said Saxe.
"It is snow a thousand feet up, herr. When the clouds pass away youwill see."
Melchior's words were correct, for toward evening the rain ceased quitesuddenly, and the sun broke through the mists, which rolled their way upthe mountain sides as if to reach the snow peaks. And all the lowerslopes were now powdered with newly fallen snow, where they had beengreen on the previous day.
Every tiny-looking cascade had been turned into a furious torrent, whosewaters came leaping and bounding down from far on high, one running intoanother, till the last was vastly swollen and plunged into the valley,to turn its stream into quite a large river for a few hours.
"Well?" said Dale, inquiringly, as he returned with Saxe from watchingthe rush of waters and the beauty of the fresh snow.
"Well, herr?" said the guide quietly.
"What do you think? Could we start back now and get to Andregg's chaletto-night?"
"It is not impossible, herr; but the walking would be slippery and bad,every stream so swollen that they would be dangerous to wade, and thedistance is so great that--"
"Well, go on. Why do you stop?"
"I had forgotten the schlucht, herr. We could not get through there.It would be terribly swollen. The water is close up to or over thepath, and--No, I should not like to be answerable for your safety. No,herr, we must wait till to-morrow."
"But we shall not have enough to eat," said Saxe.
"Plenty, though only simple," said Dale, smiling. "Come, Saxe, that'snot like talking like a mountaineer. To-morrow morning, then: will thatdo, Melchior?"
"I think so, herr. I am sure about our way to the mouth of theschlucht. Then we can see."
The morning dawned with the different falls wonderfully reduced; andafter a breakfast that was exactly what Dale had said overnight, anearly start was made, so that they were well on their way by the timethat the sun began to tinge the tops of the mountains, which, seen nowfrom a different point of view, seemed more beautiful than before.
Then by degrees the various familiar parts came into sight, till theyneared and descended into the open valley along which the river ran, andat last came to a halt close to the mouth of the gorge, where the fountgushed down and joined the water at their feet.
The horror and dread they had felt came back to their memories as theygazed down at the murky stream, rushing furiously along, now evidentlymany feet deeper than when they had passed that way; and Melchior drewtheir attention to the fact that it must have been much higher up therocks on the previous day.
"What do you think of it?" asked Dale.
"There is a great deal of water, herr; but I think the path will be allclear. Now it is so full, the water will flow more quietly."
"But the mule: do you think you can get it through?"
"Oh yes, herr."
"But suppose it falls from one of these narrow places?" said Saxeexcitedly.
"Oh, then we should have to go back and get it ashore, and try again,herr. Gros knows the way by water."
"But surely that animal will never get through, Melchior?"
"Oh yes, herr. Certainly he has no hands, but his feet are as true, ortruer, than a man's. You will see he will get through. And I shallcarry the basket; it is light now. You see I can shift it as I like,--he cannot."
"Well, you know best," said Dale. "How do you feel for th
e journey,Saxe?"
"Don't like it," said the lad bluntly, "but I'm ready. It isn't so badas what we did up the mountain."
"No: you are getting your head, my boy, fast. Ready, Melchior?"
"Yes, unless the herr likes to sit down and rest for half an hourfirst."
"By no means," cried Dale. "We should be thinking of the ugly bit ofwork we have to do--eh, Saxe?"
"Yes, let's go on at once, please. I don't like waiting."
"How shall you go--leading the mule or driving it?" asked Dale.
"Neither, herr. I shall tell him to go on, and he will lead us."
The guide shouldered the basket, which was somewhat lightened by Daleand Saxe each taking out some of their belongings and slinging them onby straps. Then Melchior led the mule down to the ledge at the opening,said a few encouraging words, and waited.
The mule hesitated. The water was right over the track here, and theanimal bent down, sniffed and pawed at it as if uneasy; but a few morewords from Melchior made it go on a few steps very slowly, andcontinually trying its way, so as to get a good foothold before goingon, and acting in a wonderfully human way by pressing itself very closeto the rock.
"I hardly think we ought to venture, Melchior," said Dale.
"Oh yes, herr. We know the extent of the danger. Gros swims like adog, and you know he was none the worse for the last fall."
"Go on, then."
The mule was already going on. Finding the water more shallow on theledge, it progressed with a little confidence, for the ledge elopedupward, and it could see the damp stone clear of the water a shortdistance on.
"There, herr, you see," said the guide, after they had waded with thewater just over their boots to the clear stone ledge along which themule went on steadily now, "there is nothing to mind here."
"I am glad you think so," said Dale, shouting loudly, to make his voiceheard beyond Saxe, who was between, and they were getting now withinreach of the reverberating roar of the torrent.
Saxe glanced down as they passed the angles and gradually entered thesemi-darkness, and saw that the surface of the water was smoother, andthat, as they passed the waves formed by the water being hurled againstthe opposing faces of the rock, there was less foam and turmoil; butthese places looked, if anything, more terrible than before, and thewater, as it surged up so much nearer his feet, looked to his excitedvision as if stealthily writhing towards him to lap round his legs likesome huge serpent, and snatch him down into the depths.
Conversation was impossible, but the guide shouted a few words ofencouragement to the mule, and from time to time waited for Saxe to comeclose up, when he shouted an inquiry or two in his ear.
"Yes, all right," cried Saxe, who gained encouragement from the calmmatter-of-fact way in which the guide went on; while, just dimly-seen asthe gorge curved and wound, the mule trudged on, twitching its ears andevidently caring nothing for the turmoil and rush just below.
"I half wish he had proposed the rope, though," thought Saxe, as theywent on, with the various familiar parts seeming terrible enough, butvery different to when he came through with the horrible feeling thatMelchior was lost, and that at any moment they might see his bodywhirling round in one of the pools.
These were not so striking now, for in most of the places, as he peereddown through the gloom and mist, the water was above the overhanging,cavernous holes, and the peculiar eye-like aspect of the one particularspot which had fascinated him so deeply was entirely hidden.
"It wasn't such a very great thing, after all, for Melchior to do," hethought, as they went on. "He has had plenty of practice, and had beenbefore. I believe I could go through by myself."
"But I shouldn't like to," he added, after a few moments' thought; forhe had to go along more carefully, in obedience to a sign from Melchior,the rock being slippery as they descended lower in the part they had nowreached, and it suddenly dawned upon him that the water must have beenover where he stood not perhaps many hours before.
It had the effect of coming up higher, and he was startled for themoment, fancying that the flood was rising; but he grew confident as hesaw the mule clearly now, where the gorge wound off to the left and thenturned again to the right, so that as the mule passed the corner anddisappeared the water was only a few inches below its hoofs.
Then Melchior passed round and out of sight, and Saxe's own turn came,and he followed into one of the gloomiest parts of the rift. And herethe ledge still descended slowly till the water began to wash over thepath; then, as he looked anxiously forward, he could dimly see that atevery step the water splashed beneath the animal's hoofs, and the nextminute it was standing still, with the guide close up behind.
Saxe stopped short, after feeling his way for a step or two with thehandle of his ice-axe, while he leaned a little against the steep wall;and Dale came up and touched his shoulder, bending down to shout in hisear.
"I can't see from here. Is the path more covered where they are?"
"I don't know,--I think so," Saxe shouted back, his voice seeming to beswept away by the rushing noise that appeared to accompany the water asit hurried along.
The guide's figure was indistinct in the mist of spray, and the mule'sseemed lost in the rock, so similar were they in tone; but thespectators could just make out that Melchior was doing all he couldshort of blows to urge the mule on, and that it was stubbornly refusingto stir.
"You must go on, or let me pass you, Saxe," shouted Dale: "I want tospeak to the guide."
"It gets deeper here," cried Saxe: "it's over my ankles, and the waterfeels like ice."
"Never mind,--go on; keep as close to the wall as you can. Shall I getby you?"
"No," said Saxe stoutly; "I'll try."
He waded along the shelf, with the water getting deeper still; and nowhe could feel the curious sensation of the rushing stream bearingagainst his legs, which were immersed half-way to his knees; and atevery step he cautiously sounded, to make sure where he should plant hisfeet.
Before he had gone many paces, Melchior had returned to meet him; and asDale closed up the guide shouted:
"I can't get him along, sir, and I dare not make him restive by a blow."
"No, no--of course not. But the water?"
"It is deeper farther on, herr--I think about a foot--and he will notmove."
"It is impossible to back him, of course?"
"Oh yes, herr; and he cannot turn."
"Then we must get by him and go on and leave him to follow."
"Impossible, herr," yelled Melchior. "If we tried he might kick."
"Go and coax him."
"It is no use, herr. The poor beast is right. He says in his way thatit is not safe to go on, and that we must wait."
"Wait in a place like this!" cried Dale. "The water is icy, and thenoise deafening. Can you recollect how much the path goes down beyondthe mule?"
"I don't think it goes down at all, herr."
"Then the water must be rising," cried Dale excitedly; and the guidenodded.
"We must not be caught in this terrible trap. I thought the water wassinking."
"It was, herr; but there must have been a fresh fall of rain at theother end of the lake, and it is rising now fast."