cious offspring? That is
quite consolation enough for me."

And the worthy merchant told the truth, for as soon as ever he could
reach Stambul he was sure of getting for these two children enough to
enable him to buy two ships and twice as many wares as he had lost at
the bottom of the sea.

But now the most difficult question arose--How were they to get away
from that spot to any place inhabited by man? All ships gave this
dangerous coast a wide berth; there was nothing to tempt them to the
spot. Even fishermen did not venture as far in their barks, so that
the unfortunate refugees who had escaped the waters saw starvation
approaching them.

But suddenly, while they were meditating over the misery of their
position, they fancied they heard human voices a little distance
off--deep, manly voices, apparently engaged in a lively dispute.

The two children rejoiced, thinking that good men were hard by; but
the merchant trembled, for, thought he, "What if they be robbers?"

Thomar now bade his sister remain with Leonidas while he went in the
direction of the voices to discover who the speakers might be. The
brave boy clambered from one cliff to another, made the circuit of the
rock-chamber behind which they were sitting, and when he came to the
opposite side of it a spacious empty cavern yawned blackly in front of
him, half covered by whortleberry bushes. Probably the conversation
came from thence, but neither near nor far was a human creature to be
seen, nor were there any footprints of men on the ground; the front of
the cavern was covered with thick green moss, on which footprints left
no trace. Thomar shouted into the cave, and as not a word came back,
he boldly entered, and slowly advanced forward. He went on and on as
far as the light of the outside world extended, and then, as no one
replied to his loud challenges, turned back again by the way he had
come, and, making the circuit of the rock again, told the merchant
that he had not come upon any human beings, but had only found a
cavern which, at any rate, would make them good night quarters.

The conversation they thought they had heard must have been a
delusion. Then they helped one another along the rocks and arrived at
the mouth of the cavern.

Milieva had scarcely cast a glance into it when she exclaimed, full of
joy: "Look, Thomar, here are two chests among the bushes!" And,
indeed, there were two boxes made of boards, and Thomar wondered that
he had no