70 THE ADVENTURES OF 



ran and jumped about with as much energy as his play- 

 mates. 



At last the children got tired of this game, and, bringing 

 a kid, had a mock bull-fight. The animal, wonderfully well 

 trained to the sport, ran after the youngsters, and more than 

 once succeeded in knocking them down. When Lucien met 

 this fate, Gringalet became furious and sprang upon the 

 pretty little creature ; but the dog's young master got up 

 in ajpnoment and soon quieted his protector's energy. We 

 had noticed, ever since we set out, that Gringalet always 

 preferred to follow close to the boy, and seemed to have 

 taken upon himself the task of watching over his safety. 



Our host told us that he was born and also married in 

 the village of Tenejapa; but being enlisted for a soldier by 

 force, he deserted and took up his abode on this plateau. 

 We were the first white men who had paid him a visit for 

 six years. His fields produced maize, beans, and tobacco, 

 which his wife and sister-in-law took twice a year to Oriza- 

 va to exchange for necessaries for housekeeping. He was 

 as happy as possible, and was never tired of praising the 

 charms of forest and plain. But his raptures were not re- 

 quired to convert us to his opinions. 



Nightfall was accompanied by cold, to which we were 

 but little accustomed. The Indians lent us some mats; 

 then we all wrapped ourselves up, and were soon asleep, 

 notwithstanding the primitiveness of our couch. 



About two in the morning I woke up numbed from the 

 lowness of the temperature ; Lucien also was nearly frozen. 

 I hastened to cover him up with my sarape, for on these 

 heights we were exposed to the north wind blowing from 

 the volcano of Citlatepetl, and the atmosphere would not 

 get warm again until sunrise. Sumichrast soon joined me ; 

 he had also given up his covering to the child. I then set 

 to work to look for some small branches to light the fire ; 



