36 ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



four little sacks of charcoal," said Lucien, " I had no idea that 

 they were obliged to live in the woods, and cut down great trees 

 to procure it ; and that they had to pass several nights in watch- 

 ing the oven." 



" No more idea, perhaps," I replied, " than the little boys in 

 Europe have of the sugar-cane plantations ; and that without the 

 plant all those beautiful bon-bms, which delight the sight as 

 much as the taste, could not be made." 



" But, papa, haven't I heard you tell the Mexicans that in 

 France they make sugar with beetroot 1 " 



" Yes, certainly you have ; and, in case of need, it might be 

 extracted from many other roots, plants, or fruit ; but beetroot 

 alone yields enough sugar to repay the trouble of extraction." 



It was quite time for us to be off; so I put an end to the 

 ceaseless questions of the young traveller. 



Our host told me that if we went on along the same path 

 which had led us to their place, we should come, in less than two 

 hours, to a hut situated on the plateau of the mountain. The 

 Indians certainly seemed to forget that Lucien's short legs might 

 delay our progress. 



