A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



63 



cend, and shouldered the basket himself. Now that I was 

 a mere spectator, I could readily forgive him his fit of mer- 

 riment. Nothing, in fact, could be more grotesque than the 

 contortions he went through trying to keep his balance. 

 L'Encuerado was the only one who retained his counte- 

 nance. As for Lucien, he seemed to feel the efforts of Su- 

 michrast as much as if they were his own. 



" You see," I said to my son, " that in countries where 

 there are no beaten roads a walk is not always an easy mat- 

 ter." 



At last, we got out of this difficult locality. While all 

 this was going on, Gringalet, gravely squatting down upon 

 his haunches, seemed perfectly amazed at our efforts. 

 Pricking up his ears and winking his eyes, he quietly sur- 

 veyed us; no doubt secretly congratulating himself upon 

 being able to run and gambol easily in places where we, 

 less-suitably-constructed bipeds, found it difficult even to 

 walk. 



Here there were no trees to be seen. As on the evening 

 before, we traversed a granite surface soil which formed the 

 ridge of the mountain ; but a sudden turn in the path led 

 us to a plateau, on which stood a rudely-built hut. 



Three children ran away as we came near, and two lean 

 dogs began to prowl round Gringalet with any thing but 

 friendly intentions. A goat, which was quietly cropping 

 the scanty grass, suddenly raised its head, and, cutting sev- 

 eral capers, ran with its head bent down, as if to butt our 

 little companion. I could not reach the spot in time to pre- 

 vent this unforeseen attack, nevertheless I shouted, in hopes 

 of intimidating the animal ; but Gringalet, who was far 

 more nimble than I, boldly faced the enemy, and soon forced 

 him to retreat. 



" Weren't you afraid of him ?" asked Sumichrast. 



" Rather," answered Lucien, hanging down his head. 



