ble to say
exactly what it was.

It was only Caspar and Ossaroo who were thus perplexed. Karl knew that
glittering meteor, that for a moment had flashed before his eyes like a
beam of hope--now slowly but surely departing from him, and plunging him
back into the old misery.

"Oh! brother!" he exclaimed, as the stork flew upward, "what a
misfortune has happened!"

"Misfortune! what mean you, Karl?"

"Ah! you know not how near we were to a chance of being delivered.
Alas! alas! it is going to escape us!"

"The birds have escaped us, you mean?" inquired Caspar. "What of that?
I don't believe they could have carried up the rope anyhow; and what
good would it be to catch them? They're not eatable; and we don't want
their feathers valuable as they may be."

"No, no!" hurriedly rejoined Karl; "it is not that--not that."

"What then, brother?" inquired Caspar, somewhat astonished at the
incoherent speeches of the plant-hunter. "What are you thinking of?"

"Look yonder!" said Karl, now for the first time pointing up to the
soaring storks. "You see something that shines?"

"Ha! on the leg of one of the birds? Yes; I do see something--like a
piece of yellow metal--what can it be?"

"I know what it is!" rejoined Karl, in a regretful tone; "right well do
I know. Ah! if we could only have caught that bird, there would have
been a hope for us. It's no use grieving after it now. It's gone--
alas! it's gone; and you, Fritz, have this day done a thing that will
cause us all regret--perhaps for the rest of our lives."

"I don't comprehend you, brother!" said Caspar; "but if it's the escape
of the storks that's to be so much regretted, perhaps it will never take
place. They don't appear to be in such a hurry to leave us--
notwithstanding the inhospitable reception Fritz has given them. See!
they are circling about, as if they intended to come down again. And
see also Ossaroo--he's holding out a lure for them. I warrant the old
shikaree will succeed in coaxing them back. He knows their habits
perfectly."

"Merciful Father!" exclaimed Karl, as he looked first at the flying
storks and then at Ossaroo; "be it permitted that he succeed! You,
Caspar, lay hold upon Fritz, and give Ossaroo every chance! For your
life don't let the dog get away from you; for your life--for the lives
of all of us!"

Caspar, though still under surprise at the excited bearing of his
brother, did not allow that to hinder him from obeyin