had it not been for the aid of those who had accompanied her, she herself would never have found her way out of the wilds of the mountain. It is hardly necessary for me to state that those who were favorable to having this old imposter on the mountain to practice her magic tricks felt ashamed that they had been so easily duped. Now, while a small portion of the people were following this man and woman practicing their magic tricks, hundreds and thousands were keeping up a constant search from hill to hill, and from one ravine to another, until almost every foot of the mountain had been gone over time and again, where it would seem possible for the children to have wandered. Yet at the dawning of each day came the excited thousands. Neither time, money nor exertion was spared. The whole adjacent population seemed determined to ascertain what had become of the lost brothers. Far and wide over the mountain region the surrounding country poured out its inhabitants. Other fields and other forests were traversed and more distant wilds explored each day. And as the thousands of hungry and exhausted searchers returned at the close of each day they found that provisions plenty and to spare had been provided
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