204 THE ADVENTURES OF 



"No," replied Sumichrast, smiling; "you will not see any 

 snow before next year, when you will be in France. The winters 

 of the Mexican Terre-Froide are like our European springs. It 

 is, however, never warm enough to allow tropical fruit to ripen ; 

 but the Terre-Froide only deserves its name when it is compared 

 with the Terre-Ghaude and the Terre-Tempirie." 



" It seems to me to have been very badly named, for it is as 

 hot now as the day when the south wind blew so strongly. 

 Gringalet looks as if he was of my opinion, for he lolls his tongue 

 out much more than usual." 



" Upon my word ! " cried Sumichrast, " Master Sunbeam's 

 remark shows that he is a first-class observer. You are as right 

 as you can be," continued he, placing his hand on the boy's 

 shoulder. " In the plains of the Terre-Froide the heat is much 

 more uncomfortable than in the Terre-Chaiide itself, where an 

 insensible perspiration always mitigates the oppressive rays 

 of the sun. A few days' walking in this atmosphere will 

 do more in bronzing our skins than all the rest of the 

 journey." 



My companion suddenly stopped short, and pointed to the 

 horizon with his finger. 



" That's smoke," cried Lucien. 



" No, Chanito," replied I'Encuerado, " it is a tornado." 



Seeing a slender column of dust rising up to the clouds, I had, 

 at first sight, formed the same idea as my son. It was, in fact, 

 nothing but a whirlwind of dust, which disappeared soon after- 

 wards. 



" There is no wind," observed Lucien ; " how is it that the 

 dust rises so high ? " 



" There is every cause for wonder," I replied, " for no savant 

 has yet explained the real cause of this phenomenon." 



" If we happened to be caught in one of these whirlwinds, 

 would it carry us away 1 " 



" No, Chanito," replied the Indian, " it would be content with 

 throwing us down." 



" Then you 've had some experience of them ? " 



" Yes ; when I used to play with the children in our village, 



