The Crystal Hunters Part 11

"Oh, there are men who would fetch them; or Andregg would send Pierre with his mule."

"Who is Pierre?--that man we saw milking?"

"Yes, herr. I don't like him, but he is honest, and will do that very well. Shall I send? After you have done here, I can get them carried farther over the mountains, or, if you liked, we could hire Andregg's mule for use at once."

"But the mountains? Can he climb?"

Melchior laughed.

"Almost anywhere. I think he could even beat us. He is a wonderful beast."

The proposal was agreed to, and after they had partaken of their homely breakfast, Andregg was questioned about the mule.

Oh yes, he was quite willing to lend it, for as many days or weeks as the herr liked.

"Then I'll have it to carry our little tent, rugs and provisions. I promise you I will feed the animal well."

"The herr need not trouble himself," said Andregg; "Gros will feed himself."

"Well, then, I will not work him too hard."

"I am not afraid, herr," said the st.u.r.dy grey-haired old Swiss, smiling; "he always lies down when he is tired."

"Then I will not beat him."

"No, herr," said Andregg; "he will not let you."

"Here, I want to see that mule!" cried Saxe.

"Oh yes, the young herr shall see him," said the old Swiss; and he went to the door and uttered a peculiar jodel, which was answered directly by a horrible bray which Saxe recognised as the yell he had heard before he was awake.

"Nein--nein--nein--nein!" shouted the old Swiss, and the donkey's bray died off into a sobbing moan. As this was ended, the old man jodelled again, apparently without result; but soon after there was a snort, and a peculiar-looking animal came trotting down from the mountain, whisking its long tail from side to side and pointing its long ears forward. But as it came close up, it suddenly stopped, and spun round as if upon a pivot.

"Here, come round and let's look at your head," cried Saxe.

"No; he will not turn till he knows you well," cried the old man; "he's very bashful, is Gros. You must make friends with him by degrees, and then he is quite a brother to any one in the mountains."

"But how am I to make friends with him?" cried Saxe.

"Get a piece of bread for the young herr, Melchior Staffeln," said the old man. "When it comes," he continued, "you may tempt Gros to come to you; but he is very particular, and may not like you, because you are foreigners."

The bread was brought. Saxe took it, and held it out to the mule, which slightly turned its head, gazed at it wistfully, but kept its hind quarters toward the would-be donor, turning as he turned, in spite of sundry coaxing words.

"Here, turn round," cried Saxe: "you can't eat with your tail."

"Don't go too close, herr," said the old Swiss; "I don't think he would, but he might kick."

"And I think it's very probable that he will," said Dale sharply; "that right hind leg is all of a quiver. Why, the brute's vicious, Melchior!"

he said, in German.

"No, no--not vicious," said the old Swiss; "it's only that he's frightened and bashful: he isn't used to company, herr. Be patient with him, and he's a beast that would almost lay down his life for you."

"Looks more like laying down our lives," said Saxe, making a sudden dart round, as the mule was watching Dale, and then, as the animal turned sharply, holding out the bread.

Perhaps the wind bore the scent of the piece of loaf to the mule's nostrils, and the temptation was too great to resist. At any rate it stretched out its neck and extended its muzzle, so that head and neck were nearly in a straight line, and uttered a shrill, squealing whinny, which was answered at once by the donkey with a sonorous trumpeting bray, as the lesser animal came cantering up with tail and ears c.o.c.ked.

"Ah! child of the evil one!" shouted old Andregg, "go back to your pasture;" and stooping down, he picked up a piece of freshly cut pine-wood, and threw it at the offending animal, missing him, but making him put his head down between his fore legs, and kick out his hind legs in defiance, before cantering off again.

By this time the mule was sniffing at the bread, and drawing nearer and nearer to Saxe's extended hand, consenting finally to take it and begin to eat.

"Is it not beautiful?" cried old Andregg, smiling. "Behold, you have made a friend who will serve you like a dog."

"I can't see anything very beautiful in it, Mr Dale," said Saxe, who had now advanced so far that he was permitted to pat the mule's neck; "and what does he mean by 'serve you like a dog'? Bite! He looks as if he could."

"He will be very useful to us, herr, and save us many a long weary tramp," said the guide, smiling. "I am willing and strong, but I cannot guide and carry much as well, and if you share the load with me, your climbing will be too laborious. With the mule to drive before us, we can take water, food, and blankets, beside a kettle for coffee; and sleep for one, two or three nights in the mountains, if we like. Shall we take him to-day?"

"I thought he was to be sent down the valley for our portmanteau and things," said Dale.

"Andregg can send the donkey," replied Melchior.

"Then by all means let us take the animal. I wish, though, that we had our ice-axes and rope, that I left at the chalet below."

"They will be ready for our next journey," said Melchior. And after due instructions had been given to old Andregg and his man Pierre, preparations were made for a fresh start up the mountains.

These did not take long. A kind of basket was secured firmly on the mule's back, and old Andregg, under Melchior's directions, produced a couple of worn ice-picks or axes, blankets, bottles, a kettle for coffee, and a little ready-chopped wood to supply the first start to the twigs and branches they would collect before leaving the forest.

By the time the mule was loaded with everything deemed necessary, Pierre was ready with the donkey, and the start was made together up and down the valley. At least, that was intended; but there were objections raised by the two four-footed friends, both wanting to go together; and when at last, after a volley of angry language from Andregg, the donkey was dragged by Pierre along the track, it began to bray loudly.

This was sufficient to attract the mule, which whinnied and tried to follow the donkey.

Melchior seized the bridle and checked him, just as they were ascending the first of a series of zigzags leading out of the deep valley, with the result that the donkey brayed again and had to be held by main force by Pierre's arm round his neck, for he had dragged his head out of the bridle; while Gros began to kick and back and behave so obstreperously that Dale gave him a sharp prod with the end of his alpenstock.

Misplaced prod! It was an unhappy touch, making, as it did, Gros give a tremendous plunge off the narrow mule-track, to come down on a slope so steep that he lost his footing, fell, and rolled over and over in a wonderful way, scattering bottles, wood, and tins from the basket, all of which went careering down the side of the valley with the mule, leaping, bounding and rattling and creaking in a way which drove the poor beast nearly frantic with fear, the catastrophe being in no wise bettered by the shouts of Andregg and the dismal brayings of the donkey, which seemed to be frantic in the endeavour to join his unfortunate friend.

The roll down was neither long enough nor dangerous enough to do any harm to Gros; but the state of the scattered cargo, as it was collected and carried to where the mule stood s.h.i.+vering, stamping and kicking at the basket as it hung down now between his legs, was deplorable, and meant a delay of half an hour before a fresh start could be made.

"You must be kind to Gros, herr," said the old Swiss reproachfully. "He always hated to be p.r.i.c.ked by the iron point of an alpenstock. I have known him bite boys who used their alpenstocks to him."

"That's a hint for you, Saxe," said Dale merrily. "Worse disasters at sea," he cried. "Now, Melchior, are we all ready once more?"

"Yes, herr," replied the guide.

"Then which way do you propose going, after we get up out of the valley?"

"Over yonder, between those two peaks, herr," said the man, pointing.

"With the mule? Is it possible?"