144 THE ADVENTURES OF 



sion which I knew, by experience, must end in Lucien and 

 Sumichrast getting the worst of it. 



The next morning there was nothing better to do than to go 

 with my companions to look after the aerolite. The ball of fire 

 appeared to have passed just over us, and I fancied that we 

 should be certain to recover some part of it. After an hour of 

 useless wandering, we were compelled to admit that our eyes 

 must have been much mistaken as to distances. L'Encuerado 

 could not help smiling incredulously on hearing the conjectures 

 which I and Sumichrast made; but he was generous enough 

 not to take advantage of the superior astronomical knowledge 

 which he assumed he possessed. 



On setting out I again crossed the valley, and then, climbing 

 the mountain, I led my companions up to a plateau. 



As far as was possible I followed the route I thought the 

 meteor had taken. L'Encuerado was just making his way into 

 the forest when Sumichrast noticed a broken tree, a little to the 

 right. I leapt up on the slope, and soon remarked that the 

 ground, for a space of at least twenty yards, was strewn with 

 black or green stones, which had been in a fused state, and 

 evidently bore the appearance of iron sconce. There could be no 

 doubt about it ; the tree which had been struck had caused the 

 explosion of the meteor, and had broken under the shock. 



" These, therefore, are the remains of some of your sky-lan- 

 terns," said Lucien to I'Encuerado, who had just picked up some 

 large stones, shining like metal. 



The Indian shook his head without answering. The fallen 

 tree, the burned and blackened trunk, the withered and even 

 scorched grass, these strange looking stones — everything visibly 

 combined to upset his theory. Each of us added to his load 

 one of the aerolites, then, again returning to the plateau, we 

 plunged into the forest. 



One shot that Sumichrast made rendered him happy for the 

 whole day. He had knocked down a green-coloured crossbill, of 

 a species still unknown in Europe. 



" What a queer bird ! " cried Lucien. " How did it manage to 

 eat with its mouth all awry 1 " 



