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I was convinced there were woods and flocks not far ahead of us, and as I feared not the sun for myself, I started as soon as you were all fast asleep, having fortified myself for the journey with a drop of the cognac. I often longed, as I proceeded, to lie down and rest, but then I thought of Chanito, and ran on faster than ever.
There were two reports almost at the same moment, and the animal tumbled down upon the ground without uttering a cry. "Don't be too quick, Chanito," continued the Indian; "this is not a water-dog; always reload your gun, whether the enemy be dead or not, before you trust yourself within its reach."
A second time we found ourselves among rocks; but they were so enormous, and so close together, that it was evident we were in the vicinity of a mountain. "Hiou! hiou! Chanito," cried the Indian, joyously; "forward! forward! we are very nearly at the end of our troubles." The boy smiled and adopted the swift pace of his guide, while Sumichrast lengthened his strides so as to get in front of me.
"Never mind, Chanito," said the Indian; "I'll soon make it all right." Then, taking his gourd, he poured from it some cold water into the mixture, and it immediately became cleared. I told Lucien to go and wake up Sumichrast. The child approached our companion, who was scarcely visible under the leaves, which served him both for coverlet and pillow. "Hallo! hallo!
"Give a call-cry," said I to the Indian, "Sumichrast can not see us, and may think that you are killed." "Chanito, hiou, hiou, hiou, Chanito!" "Ohé! ohé!" replied Lucien. And the boy, looking pale and alarmed, almost immediately made his appearance. He rushed up to his friend, threw his arms round his neck, and embraced him.
"No, Chanito; the cave had become invisible." "Invisible! but why?" "Because they had some iron about them!" "But you have just told us that he stripped off all his clothes?" interposed Sumichrast. "Ah! but, unfortunately, he kept his flint and steel in his hand." The afflicted tone in which l'Encuerado pronounced this last phrase drew a smile even from Lucien.
"Come and carry it yourselves!" he cried; "come and carry it yourselves, and prove that you are stronger than a man!" "What are you asking the birds to do?" demanded Lucien. "They are making fun of my load, Chanito; a set of lazy fellows, who all of them together would not be able to move it!"
Suddenly we heard Lucien speaking in supplicating tones; I ran towards him, and found him trying to prevent l'Encuerado, who had got possession of the salamander, from making a trial of its powers of resisting fire. "All right, Chanito; I will not leave it long on the coals; your papa said that these animals do not mind it a bit."
Chanito," cried the Indian, "if you had gone with me, you would have seen a whole flock of them! I had chased those miserable doves till I was tired, without even catching a glimpse of them, and was resting at the foot of a tree, when Gringalet pricked up his ears, and running up the opposite slope of the mountain, barked as loudly as if he saw another porcupine.
The gloomy appearance of the weather threatened us with one of those fine rains which appear to last forever. Sumichrast went off to cut some long switches covered with leaves, one of which light boughs he handed to each of us before he would allow us to enter the cave. "What are these switches for?" asked Lucien, in surprise. "M. Sumichrast wants to catch some bats, Chanito."
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