Page:Saxe Holm's Stories, Series Two.djvu/217

Rh "She won't be surprised," said Jim. "She 's known it all winter. She told me a long time ago that there were ever so many up here; that Stonie said so. And she says: 'You know that the most of them are down deep;' that we 'd only find a few on the top."

"So she did; so she did," said the Doctor, unconscious of the amount of confidence in Ally betrayed by his reply. "It 's odd how the child knew; but that 's the way it must be. These crystals have been formed deep down among these rock. I don't know what has laid them bare. It takes ages for rocks to decompose, but this looks like it. We 'll dig down just at the base of these biggest rocks. This soil has washed down round them."

In our first wonder and delight at the crystals, we had scarcely observed the rocks; but in looking more closely, we found that they, too, were of rare beauty. There were great masses of a rose-red stone, magnificent rocks of quartz, and shining surfaces of mica. On the cold gray of the granite ledge these glittering colors stood out in sharp relief, and produced an effect of design in spite of all the chaotic confusion.

"I believe the gods began a temple here once," said Jim, "and left their jewels behind them." "Quit Maine for want of worshipers," chuckled the Doctor, as he tugged away at his digging. Suddenly he threw down his spade, fell on his knees