250 THE ADVENTURES OF 



" Do you see the long pods which hang on that tree ? " cried 

 Lucien. 



" It is a locust-tree covered with fruit," said my friend ; "it is 

 a relation of the bean and the pea." 



" Are the pods eatable % " asked the child, as one fell at his feet. 



" You may taste the dark pulp which surrounds the seeds — it 

 is slightly sweet; but don't eat too much, for it is used in Europe 

 as a medicine." 



L'Encuerado dropped at our feet the great bird which Sumi- 

 chrast had killed. It was larger in size than a fowl, with a crest 

 upon its head. Its cry — a sort of clucking of which its Spanish 

 name gives an idea — tells the traveller its whereabouts, although 

 it is ready enough in making its escape. 



L'Encuerado returned to the bivouac, and Sumichrast led us 

 along the edge of a ravine, obstructed by bushes and shaded by 

 large trees. 



We had been quietly on the watch for a minute or two, when 

 three young wolves, of the species called by the Indians coyotes, 

 came running by, one after the other. They were soon followed 

 by a fourth, and then the mother herself appeared. She glared 

 at us with her fiery eyes, and then raised a dull, yelping noise, 

 which brought her young ones to her. 



" Upon my word ! " exclaimed Sumichrast, " does this wretch 

 intend to give us a present to her children ? " 



I stuck my machete into the ground, so as to have it at hand ; 

 and the brute lay down on the ground, as if ready to spring. 



" Now then, my fine lady ! come and meddle with us if you 

 dare ! " muttered my friend, imitating I'Encuerado's tone. 



The coyote uttered a shrill cry, and almost immediately a sixth 

 came and stood by her. 



"Don't fire till I tell you," said I to Lucien, who seemed as 

 bold as possible. 



" You take the dog-wolf," cried Sumichrast to me ; " but we 

 won't provoke the contest." 



Seeing us evince no fear, the brutes suddenly made off. 

 Sumichrast descended to the bottom of the ravine, and then 

 called me. I noticed among the high grass the entrance of a 



