436 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



sun approach the horizon. The boy, quite broken down 

 with fatigue, looked at me, with his eyes full of tears. At 

 last I halted, and the dear little fellow stretched himself be- 

 side me and fell asleep. 



While listening with ear and eye alike on the watch, I 

 fancied I heard the distant report of a gun. I jumped up 

 — was it the fall of a tree ? or was it a signal from one of 

 our companions ? I seized my gun, but I hesitated before 

 expending my last cartridge but one. At length I pressed 

 the trigger, and I listened anxiously as the sound of my 

 shot died away, alas ! without echo. Lucien did not move. 



" Jump up ! jump up !" I cried ; for a dull barking moved 

 the air. Suddenly I fired my last barrel ; then, with eyes 

 shut, mouth open, and nostrils dilated, I listened intently, 

 almost forgetting to breathe. Minutes — they seemed ages 

 — elapsed without any thing more interrupting the silence. 

 Lucien looked at me with a scared face; I pressed my 

 weapon to me in despair at having expended my last 

 charge, when a gunshot was heard ringing out clear and 

 close. 



" It is l'Encuerado !" cried Lucien. 



" Yes, my boy," I said, almost frantic. 



" Reply to your friend !" I exclaimed ; " one of the bar- 

 rels of your gun is still loaded." 



Lucien fired, and was answered almost immediately. 



" Call out, so as to guide them," said I to the boy ; " for 

 we have no more powder left." 



" Ohe, ohe, ohe !" called Lucien. 



"Hiou, hiou, hiou !" replied a still distant voice. 



At the same moment Gringalet rushed to us as swiftly 

 as an arrow, and jumped upon his young master. After 

 having overwhelmed us with caresses, the dog made off 

 again, and ten minutes later the Indian made his appear- 

 ance, and, running to the boy, clasped him in his arms, and 



