356 THE ADVENTURES OF 



" If they were ever so beautiful, it would make no differ- 

 ence in their evil disposition. They have, however, some 

 good qualities ; such, for instance, as patience and resolution. 

 The poor spider, now, that we are looking at, is working 

 desperately to catch a prey which is constantly escaping. 

 Sometimes it is the wind which destroys the web so indus- 

 triously woven ; sometimes a great beetle plunges heavily 

 through the net. Nevertheless, the spider is not the least 

 discouraged ; he again sets his 'snare, and, while he is quiet- 

 ly watching for the game necessary for his subsistence, it 

 too often happens that he is himself carried off in the beak 

 of some bird." 



Lucien and I now went among the trees in quest of some- 

 thing substantial for our dinner. The first thing we met 

 with was a kind of marten, which looked viciously at us, 

 and greeted us with a shrill cry. Gringalet darted off in 

 pursuit of the animal, and followed it until it reached its 

 hole. This animal, like the European marten, from which 

 it differs only in size, often establishes itself in barns and 

 granaries, where at night it amuses itself with the noisiest 

 gambols. In the environs of the Mexican towns, many a 

 house, invaded by these martens, is abandoned by its owner, 

 because it is thought to be haunted by ghosts. 



" Look out for yourselves !" cried 1'Encuerado, suddenly. 



A mephitic weasel or skunk, an animal which somewhat 

 resembles a polecat, came running by. Gringalet, tired of 

 waiting for the marten, crossed the trail of the beast, and 

 set off after it, in spite of our calls. The skunk suddenly 

 stopped and scratched up the earth with its sharp claws ; 

 then it voided a liquid of such a fetid odor that the dog 

 was compelled to beat a retreat. 



L'Encuerado, with his finger on the trigger of his gun, 

 started again, and led us along noiselessly. He* suddenly 

 stooped down to listen. 



