At
that moment another stone fell, and we saw two heads appear through the
opening,--the heads of Fritz and Ernest. Judge of our surprise and joy!
Jack was soon through the opening, and assisting his brothers to
enlarge it. As soon as I could enter, I stepped in, and found myself in
a real grotto, of a round form, with a vaulted roof, divided by a narrow
crevice, which admitted the light and air. It was, however, better
lighted by two large gourd lamps. I saw my long ladder of ropes
suspended from the opening at the top, and thus comprehended how my sons
had penetrated into this recess, which it was impossible to suspect the
existence of from the outside. But how had they discovered it? and what
were they making of it? These were my two questions. Ernest replied at
once to the last. "I wished," said he, "to make a resting-place for my
mother, when she came to her garden. My brothers have each built some
place for her, and called it by their name. I had a desire that some
place in our island might be dedicated to Ernest, and I now present you
the _Grotto Ernestine_."
"And after all," said Jack, "it will make a pretty dwelling for the
first of us that marries."
"Silence, little giddy-pate," said I; "where do you expect to find a
wife in this island? Do you think you shall discover one among the
rocks, as your brothers have discovered the grotto? But tell me, Fritz,
what directed you here.
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