THE ADVENTURES OF 



his liveliness. L'Encuerado took the rabbit, and in an incredible 

 short space of time had it skinned, and placed to broU on the 

 burning coals. 



" Well ! what do you think of hurricanes ? " asked Sumichrast 

 of Lucien, who was watching him cleaning his gun. 



" They are most awful ! I should never have thought that the 

 wind, which is invisible, could have blown down and broken up 

 trees as big as that one which almost fell upon us." 



" Were you much frightened ? " 



" Rather; and so were you, for you were quite pale.'' 



" The danger was much greater than you imagined. If the 

 uprooted tree had pitched on our rock, it would have upset it, 

 and crushed us beneath." 



" Then the wind must be much stronger in forests than in 

 towns ? " 



" No ; for the hurricane of yesterday probably destroyed en- 

 tire vUlages. It was one of those tropical storms which happily 

 only break out at long intervals. Many an Indian is at this 

 moment re-building his destroyed hut." 



Lucien looked very thoughtful, and went and sat down at the 

 foot of a tree. When I passed near him, I saw he had tears in 

 his eyes. 



" What 's the matter ? " I asked. 



" I was thinking of mamma and my brothers. M. Sumichrast 

 told me that the tempest must have demolished whole villages ; 

 so, perhaps, our home has met with some misfortune." 



" Don't be frightened, my dear boy ! Thank God ! stone walls 

 can generally stand against wind. Besides, this hurricane can 

 hardly have been felt at Orizava. At all events, your mamma 

 has more reason to be anxious about ms, for she knows that we 

 are far from shelter — exposed to all its violence." 



I kissed poor Lucien, and comforted him as well as I could, 

 assisted by I'Encuerado, who soon afterwards took him oif to look 

 after our roast rabbit. 



The toditli, or Mexican rabbit, is different from the European 

 species, although it has the same coloured coat and instincts. 

 In fact it is a hare. 



