A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



71 



but our movements ultimately roused up our host, and, 

 thanks to him, we were soon able to sit down in front of a 

 powerful blaze. Still l'Encuerado, from force of habit, who 

 was hardly sheltered at all, was sleeping like a top. At last, 

 aided by the heat, sleep resumed its influence, and I drop- 

 ped off again in slumber. 



When I awoke, the sun was shining in a cloudless sky, 

 and every body was up. Sumichrast was inspecting the 

 arms and ammunition, for from this day forward we should 

 have to provide our own subsistence. I was quite surprised 

 at the time I had been asleep ; but a slight touch of lumba- 

 go reminded me of yesterday's difficult ascent, which fully 

 accounted for my drowsiness. I must confess I felt much 

 more inclined to go to bed again than to continue our jour- 

 ney ; but, as I was obliged to set a good example, I began 

 to help my companions in their preparations for departure. 

 I have already described the dress of Lucieifand l'Encuera- 

 do ; Sumichrast's costume and mine also consisted of strong 

 cloth trowsers, and a blouse made of the same stuff. The 

 weapons of each were a revolver, a machete, a double-bar- 

 relled gun, and a game-bag filled with necessaries. We 

 duly examined the contents of the basket, which l'Encuera- 

 do carried on his back by a strap fixed across his breast 

 or forehead. Sumichrast then took out a long parcel he 

 had put into the basket when we started, and unrolled the 

 cloth which formed its first covering. His smile and mys- 

 terious look quite puzzled us ; at last he drew from the 

 paper a light fowling-piece, which he placed in Lucien's 

 hands. 



The boy blushed and trembled with joy, and became 

 quite pale with anxiety. He hardly dared to believe that 

 his fondest dream was thus realized. He could not speak 

 for jieasure, but threw himself into my friend's arms. I 

 was 4s much surprised as he w T as. I had often thought of 



