52 THE ADVENTURES OF 



him, when he replied almost immediately; but his voice 

 sounded not from below, but from a spot a little to my 

 left. I could not stay my rapid course except by grasping 

 a tuft of brush-wood, to which I hung. Then, turning to- 

 wards the left, I soon encountered the Mistec, who had al- 

 ready begun to collect his burden. 



" Nothing broken ?" I asked. 



" No, Tatita ; all the bottles are safe." 



" It's your limbs that I mean, my poor fellow !" 



" Oh ! my nose and arms are a little scratched, and my 

 body is rather knocked about ; but there's not a single rent 

 either in my jacket or breeches," added he, looking with 

 complacency at the leathern garments which had given him 

 the name of PEncuerado. 



" Well, you have had a narrow escape." 



" Oh ! senor, God is good ! In spite of the basket-work 

 case, the bottles might have been broken, and they are not 

 the least hurt." 



For my part, I was more inclined to recognize God's 

 goodness in l'Encuerado's almost miraculous preservation. 

 As to the basket, the Indian had tied it up so strongly, that 

 I was not at all surprised to find that our provisions were 

 uninjured. 



" Give a call-cry,'' said I to the Indian ; " Sumichrast can 

 not see us, and may think that you are killed." 

 " Chanito, hiou, hiou, hiou, Chanito !" 

 " Ohe ! ohe !" replied Lucien. 



And the boy, looking pale and alarmed, almost immedi- 

 ately made his appearance. He rushed up to his friend, 

 threw his arms round his neck, and embraced him. The 

 brave Mistec, who had been but little injured by his terri- 

 ble descent, could not help weeping at this proof of Lucien's 

 attachment. 



" It was nothing but a joke," he said. " You'll see me 

 perform many a feat like that." 



