386 THE ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



" Oh !" cried Sumichrast, cc are those beasts going to join 

 in the concert made by the grasshoppers and mosquitoes ?" 

 Lucien, who had gone to sleep, started up. 

 " Where's my parrot ?" he cried. 



" Sleep quietly, Chanito !" replied the Indian. " It is 

 roasted, and we shall eat it to-morrow morning at break* 

 fast." 



This reply and Lucien's disappointed face much amused 

 us. L'Encuerado's fault was too much zeal : not knowing 

 that Sumichrast was going to skin the bird, he had sacri- 

 ficed it. In order to repair his error, he promised Lucien 

 hundreds of parrots of every color; so he went to sleep 

 and dveamed of forests full of birds of the most brilliant 

 plumage. 



