A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



391 



" Yes, so it appears ; but in reality it is formed by an 

 assemblage of berries all joined together. The strawberry, 

 which belongs to the rose family, is similarly formed, and 

 few people would believe, when they swallow a single 

 strawberry, that they have eaten thirty or forty fruits." 



For an hour we scarcely exchanged a word, but walked 

 silently on, soaked with perspiration, and scarcely able to 

 breathe the heated air. 



"X think there is a glade," murmured Lucien, pointing to 

 the left. 



" So there is ; forward ! forward !" 



Five minutes after we reached an open spot bathed in 

 sunshine amidst a thicket of tree-ferns and high grass. The 

 trees, placed more widely apart, were covered with gigantic 

 creepers drooping to the ground. Here we again heard the 

 note of the hocco. 



While I was clearing the ground, Sumichrast and PEn- 

 cuerado took up a position amidst the bushes. I gave some 

 water to Gringalet, whose tongue hung out, for he had pos- 

 sibly suffered most, as he would not eat the fruit which 

 afforded us relief. 



Two shots were fired shortly afterwards ; but the sports- 

 men soon returned with such a disappointed air that I felt 

 sure they had been unsuccessful. 



I made a joke of the matter, and pretended that the dry 

 maize-cakes were better than the fattest turkey. I spoke 

 with such apparent seriousness that my companions began 

 to get animated, and a sharp controversy gave a zest to our 

 frugal meal. I asserted, too, that the tepid water in our 

 gourds surpassed in flavor the product of the coolest spring, 

 and that the acid timbirichi was the best of fruits. Grad- 

 ually, however, I gave way, and at bed-time pretended to be 

 quite converted. I had amused our party, and that was all 

 I wanted. 



