A YOUNG NATURALIST. 283 



" It is I'Encuerado," cried Lucien. 



" Yes, my boy," I said, almost frantic. 



" Reply to your friend ! " I exclaimed ; " one of the barrels of 

 your gun is still loaded." 



Lucien fired, and was answered almost immediately. 



" Call out so as to guide them," said I to the boy ; " for we 

 have no more powder left." 



" Oh6, oh6, oh6 ! " called Lucien. 



" Hiou, hiou, hiou ! " replied a still distant voice. 



At the same moment, Gringalet rushed to us as swiftly as 

 an arrow, and jumped upon his young master. After having 

 overwhelmed us with caresses, the dog made off again, and ten 

 minutes later the Indian made his appearance, and running to 

 the boy, clasped him in his arms, and rolled with him on the 

 ground in the excess of his wild emotion. I, too, heartily greeted 

 Sumichrast, but was almost too affected to speak. 



All my companion's efforts to discover our trail had been in- 

 effectual, and Gringalet himself, when put to the task, had hunted 

 in vain round the thickets. The fact was, they looked for us on 

 the right, while we had gone to the left ; for Sumichrast could 

 not bring his mind to the idea that we had turned our backs to 

 the stream. 



L'Encuerado, after cooking, spread out on the spot his stock 

 of provisions, to which every one did justice. Master Job was 

 lodged safely under the shelter of a large branch, and deep sleep 

 took possession of the whole party. 



