A YOUNG NATURALIST. 53 



" Your face is all over with blood !" 

 " That's a mere joke, too. Would you like me to do it 

 again ?" 



" No, no !" cried the child, catching the Indian by the 

 jacket. 



I dressed PEncuerado's hurts, and we were about to con- 

 tinue our journey. 



" I say," said Lucien, archly, just as the Indian was hoist- 

 ing his basket on to his back ; " how would it have been if 

 I had been perched on it ?" 



"Then I should not have fallen," replied 1'Encuerado, 

 with the utmost gravity. 



In a minute or two more we were at the foot of the 

 mountain, when Lucien, overjoyed that the descent was ac- 

 complished, gave a leap which showed me that the back of 

 his trowsers had suffered in the late struggle. 



" There's a pretty beginning !" I cried ; " how did you 

 manage to get your trowsers in that state ?" 



" It is my fault," said Sumichrast, with consternation ; 

 " wishing to descend more rapidly, and fearing another 

 tumble, I advised him to sit down and slide carefully. I did 

 not foresee the very natural results of such a plan." 

 " Well, papa ! it does not matter in the country." 

 " If my advice had been taken," broke in 1'Encuerado, 

 " he would have had a pair of leathern pantaloons, which 

 wouldn't suffer from such contingencies. Never mind, 

 Chanito, we'll mend them with the skin of the first squirrel 

 which comes within reach of my gun." 



We were now passing through a dark gorge full of thick 

 brush-wood. In front of us rose a wooded mountain, which 

 we had to climb. The shrubs were succeeded by gigantic 

 thistles, which compelled us to advance with extreme care. 

 These troublesome plants grew so thickly that we were 

 obliged to use our knives to clear a passage. L'Encuerado, 



