192 THE ADVENTURES OF 



" It is the genius of tlie cave," he cried. " Ah ! the scoundrel, 

 after all he owes me, and the precautions I took." 



"What precautions?" asked Lucien, surprised. 



" I picked up seven white pebbles, and drew out a beautiful 

 cross." 



" What did the cross matter to him?" 



" Matter to him ! why, Chanito, he knows well that we are 

 Christians, and yet he bewitches us. Wait a bit, I 'II match 

 him." 



And rearing himself up against the trunk of a tree, standing 

 on his head, with his legs in the air, I'Encuerado kicked about 

 with all the frenzy of one possessed. He fell sometimes to the 

 right, and sometimes to the left, but raised himself after every 

 fall, and resumed his clown-like attitude. Not one of us could 

 keep a serious countenance while looking at his contortions. 

 Lucien laughed till he cried, especially because the Indian, as if 

 on purpose to render the scene more comical, accompanied his 

 gestures with invectives against the genius of the cave and 

 invocations to St Joseph. 



At last I told him to resume his natural position, and to keep 

 quiet. 



" Do you really think that I have done it enough 1" he asked, 

 addressing me with imperturbable gravity. 



" Yes," I replied ; " from the way in which you have shaken 

 him, I should say he must have come out either through your 

 mouth or your ears." 



" Then it 's your turn now, Chanito !" 



Lucien, delighted at having to execute this feat of skill, tried 

 several times to keep his balance while standing on his head ; but 

 overcome by laughter, he was not able, so he fell, to rear himself 

 up again. The more I'Encuerado cried out to him, urging him 

 to persevere, the louder the boy laughed. The brave Indian, who 

 was under the full belief that an evil spirit must necessarily 

 abandon a body placed upside down, seized the legs of his young 

 master and shook him violently as if he was emptying a sack. 

 Sumichrast at last put an end to this scene by declaring that 

 he was sure the spirit must have taken flight. L'Encuerado 



