80 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



posts, did for a roof. The Indian, assisted by his little 

 companion, who was much interested in all the prepara- 

 tions, filled the hut with leaves, and covered the branches 

 with a layer of dry grass. Under this shelter, we could 

 set the rain at defiance, if not the cold. 



It is impossible to describe Lucien's enchantment. This 

 house (for this was the name he chose to give to the shape- 

 less hut, in which our party could scarcely stand upright) 

 appeared to him a perfect masterpiece of architecture, and 

 he was astonished at the rapidity with which it had been 

 built. He helped FEncuerado to make up the fire, so that 

 all that was requisite on our return was to set a light to it. 

 Then, armed with our guns, we set off to seek for our din* 

 ners. 



Seeing that we left behind us all our baggage, Lucien ex- 

 claimed, 



"Suppose any one came and stole our provisions?" 



" Upon my word," cried Sumichrast, " you're the boy to 

 think of every thing. But there's no need to fear this mis- 

 fortune ; most likely, we are the only persons in the forest ; 

 or if any one else should be here, it would be an almost mi- 

 raculous chance if they discovered our bivouac." 



" Then we are not on any road ?" 



" You may call it a road if you like, but we are the only 

 people who have trod it ; no one could discover our en- 

 campment unless they had followed us step by step." 



The child shook his head with a rather doubtful air ; the 

 idea of the desert is not readily nor suddenly comprehend- 

 ed. I well recollect that, during my first excursions in the 

 wilderness, I was constantly expecting to catch sight of 

 some human face, either just when I was emerging from a 

 wood or in following the paths made in the savannah by 

 wild cattle. At night, especially when I was troubled by 

 sleeplessness, I was always fancying that I recognized, in the 



