traversed every vault of that stupendous cavern, and traced every
passage to its termination in the rocks, that they resigned all hope,
and gave up in despair.
When the last day's search was ended, and they had emerged from the
cave, never to enter it again, all three might have been seen seated
upon the rocks near its mouth, in attitudes and with looks that
betokened a deep and hopeless despair.
For a long time they sat in silence. The same thought was in the minds
of all--the one painful thought, that they were hopelessly cut off from
all communication with the world, and would never again look on human
faces save their own!
Caspar was the first to break silence.
"Oh!" groaned he, "it is an awful fate--an awful fate--here must we
live--here must we die--far away from home--from the world--alone,
alone, oh!"
"Not alone, Caspar," replied Karl, making an effort to look
cheerful,--"not alone, for God is with us. From this time forth let us
strive to forget the world, and make Him our companion. _Let God be our
world_!"
THE END.