252 



ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



" Oh ! " cried Sumichrast, " are those beasts going to join in 

 the concert made by the grasshoppers and mosquitoes ? " 



Lucien, who had gone to sleep, started up. 



" Where 's my parrot ? " he cried. 



" Sleep quietly, Chanito ! " replied the Indian. '* It is roasted, 

 and we shall eat it to-morrow morning at breakfast." 



This reply and Lucien's disappointed face much amused us. 

 L'Encuerado's fault was too much zeal : not knowing that Sumi- 

 chrast was going to skin the bird, he had sacrificed it. In order 

 to repair his error, he promised Lucien hundreds of parrots of 

 every colour, so he went to sleep and dreamed of forests full of 

 birds of the most brilliant plumage. 



