482 T1IE AD VENTURES OF A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



would be exhausted, and the rice was of no use without 

 water. Fatigue gradually dispelled these gloomy thoughts, 

 and we fell asleep. 



. I awoke about four o'clock in the afternoon, and was dis- 

 mayed to find that l'Encuerado had deserted us, accompa- 

 nied by Gringalet. 



Having passed a whole night in useless waiting, hoping 

 for his reappearing, we resolved to pursue our journey. 

 So we put all the baggage into one heap, and set Janet and 

 Ver^et at liberty, leaving them the sack of rice, which we 

 could not carry. Then, loaded with our guns and gourds 

 — alas ! almost empty — we prepared to start on our jour- 

 ney without having the courage to undeceive Lucien, who 

 thought we were going to meet his friend. 



At last, having examined the horizon carefully, I placed 

 Master Job on my shoulder, and, led by Sumichrast, Lu- 

 cien being borne between us, we pursued our course. 



