14 INTRODUCTION. 



ble. I know you will be a good boy during my absence, 

 and obedient to your mother. You will think of me some- 

 times, will you not?" 



" I should much prefer not to think of you," he respond- 

 ed. 



" You would rather, then, that I staid at Orizava ?" 



" Oh no ; I should like you to go, and to go with you." 



" What can you be thinking of ? Before we were a mile 

 on the road you would be knocked up, complaining of heat, 

 thirst, fatigue " 



" That's quite a mistake, dear father. I know I should 

 be very useful to you, if you would only take me. I could 

 pick up wood, light the fire, and look" after the cooking, be- 

 sides catching butterflies and insects, both for your collec- 

 tion and mine." 



" That's all very well ; but the first time you were scratch- 

 ed by a thorn you would cry." 



" Oh father ! I promise you I will never cry, except 

 when I can't help it." 



I could not resist smiling at this answer. 



" Then it is a settled thing, and I am to go with you," ex- 

 claimed Lucien. 



" We must consult your mother, and if she sees no objec- 

 tion, I " 



The child ran off without allowing me to finish my sen- 

 tence. 



While I went on cleaning my guns, I found that I was 

 pleading with myself in favor of the little would-be trav- 

 eller. I also remembered that when I was only seven years 

 old I had travelled long distances on foot in company with 

 my father, and to this early habit owed much of the power 

 of accomplishing dangerous and fatiguing journeys, which 

 would have frightened stronger men. I even persuaded 

 myself that it would be useful, before leaving Mexico, to 



