258 THIS AD VENTURES OF 



" To eat us ?" asked Lucien, opening his eyes very widely. 



" She would, bite and tear us with her claws, or otherwise 

 injure us. But seriously, as a general rule, wild beasts, or 

 carnivora, as the savants call them, are always formidable, 

 and, whatever may be their size, it is unsafe to provoke 

 them. If one of us, unarmed, had to fight hand to hand 

 with a wild-cat, it is probable that he would receive more 

 injury from the contest than the animal." 



Night was now falling fast ; but, fortunately, our fire 

 guided us to our resting-place. When we were yet some 

 distance off, we were amused at seeing the Indian prowling 

 round, or gravely sitting down face to face with the dog, 

 with whom, no doubt, he was chatting. Suddenly the dog 

 jumped up, pricking up his ears, and ran out to meet us, 

 while 1'Encuerado raised over his head a burning branch to 

 throw a light upon our path. 



At day-break we were awakened by the voice of the In- 

 dian. The gloomy appearance of the weather threatened 

 us with one of those fine rains which appear to last forever. 

 Sumichrast went off to cut some long switches covered 

 with leaves, one of which light boughs he handed to each 

 of us before he would allow us to enter the cave. 



" What are these switches for ?" asked Lucien, in sur- 

 prise. 



" M. Sumichrast wants to catch some bats, Chanito." 



" Does he intend to eat them ?" 



" Oh no ; though I have no doubt they would be very 

 good." 



" Their flesh is delicious," interposed Sumichrast ; " the 

 wing especially is a tidbit which I can highly recommend." 



But my friend could not keep a serious face when he saw 

 Lucien's frightened look ; so his joke partly failed in its 

 effect. 



L'Encuerado entered the cave on tiptoe. The rest of us, 



