rumor every heart beat high with hope. Then came the news that their little tracks were plainly seen far out in the sands of the unbroken forest at least ten miles from their home. The hunters were so arranged on the mountain that they were within speaking distance of each other. So it did not require long to carry the news from the most distant points. Hundreds of people gathered to the spot where the tracks had been found, and starting from there they moved out in every direction, believing that the lost children would soon be found; and the search was now pursued more vigorously than ever before. But all were disappointed when the day closed without another mark or foot-print of the little wanderers. The parents had been much encouraged with the news that tracks of their children had been found far out on the mountain. This led them to believe that they were still alive.
But as night had again closed in upon the thousands of diligent searchers without finding more than a few foot-prints, they were more disconsolate than ever. Another useless day's search was completed, and another dark night with all its gloom, had come upon the world. The winds that had blown on the mountain al-
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