A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



" Don't be so serious," said lie to me, suddenly; " you need not 

 be distressed about me. I have already guessed that we are lost ; 

 but I am with you, and I am not a bit afraid but that we shall 

 soon find our way again " 



The poor child had not the least suspicion of the danger. 

 Every moment, too, tears came into my eyes, and I felt my courage 

 getting weaker ; I made a strong effort to dispel my thoughts, 

 and vowed that I would strive on with faith and energy to the 

 last hour. 



" L'Encuerado will be sure to find us," said Lucien, with such 

 an air of conviction, that I could not help sharing his con- 

 fidence. 



" Yes," I answered ; " Sumichrast and I'Encuerado will find us 



or die in the attempt. It cannot be possible'' I had not 



courage to finish my sentence. 

 We commenced our march again with increased energy. 

 " Look out ! " cried Lucien, suddenly ; " it seems to me as if 

 some one were moving the branches close by." 



" It is a monkey," said I ; and off I went in pursuit of the 

 animal, which, leaping from branch to branch, seemed to set us at 

 defiance. Suddenly, it uttered a gutteral cry, and was answered 

 by twenty more. I hid behind a tree, and told Lucien to keep 

 silent. Two or three times, the active creatures moved farther 

 away, but at last they came so close that I could fire safely. I 

 never, I think, took more pains with my aim ; the gun went off, 

 and the band scattered in every direction in a most precipitous 

 flight. The monkey I had aimed at seemed only wounded, when, 

 as I was going to fire a second time, it slid down and fell dead at 

 our feet, its young one, which we had not at first perceived, was 

 sitting upon a limb about ten feet from the ground uttering low 

 and almost inaudible plaintive cries. 



In a quarter of an hour the animal was skinned and hung in 

 front of a large fire. Whilst I was superintending the cookery, 

 the young one moaned incessantly, and my companion tried 

 every persuasion to coax it down. Urged by Lucien, I ascended 

 the tree, and tried to catch hold of the motherless little creature. 

 No doubt it was paralysed by fear, for it only showed its teeth 



