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These birds have rather a grave and sad air, and utter now and then a wild and plaintive cry." We stopped to watch these waders gloomily standing in the water, until we heard l'Encuerado's "Hiou! hiou!" informing us that our companions were approaching the bivouac.
"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.
The report of a gun suddenly cut short my reverie, and l'Encuerado's shout of "Hiou! hiou!" summoned us to him. While I hurried Lucien along as fast as I could, I heard some loud shouting, which almost smothered the furious barking of the dog, and then saw my friend Sumichrast grasping the throat of an animal which Gringalet was worrying.
We heard Sumichrast give a call, to which Lucien answered, and the disappointed hunter joined us. "What did you fire at?" he inquired of me. "At a fox, which I missed; were you chasing it?" "No; I caught sight of a doe and its fawn, but I could not get near them." "And where is l'Encuerado?" "He wanted to shoot some bird, so as not to come back quite empty-handed." "Chanito! Hiou! Hiou!
The reptile had been hit, and we all of us clambered down the rock as fast as we could, in the hopes of finding it dead. We sought for it in vain; the snake had made its escape into some hole, from which it would be in vain to try to dislodge it. Gringalet now showed himself, soon followed by l'Encuerado. When he caught sight of us, the Indian raised a loud "Hiou! hiou!"
And, taking off his load, we soon lost sight of him among the under-brush. Under any other circumstances, Lucien's frightened look, when he saw us take so many precautions in approaching a human dwelling, would have amused; but, so far from doing so now, we listened anxiously for the least sound. At last we heard l'Encuerado's loud and welcome "Hiou! hiou!" The hut was perfectly empty.
We heard a noise like a scuffle, and then the jaguar again came in sight; it ran round and round, roaring with rage. A final bound brought it to within twenty paces of our camp fire, when it fell never to rise again. "Hiou! hiou! Chanito." This sound took a weight off my mind, for I could not but feel alarmed for the safety of l'Encuerado. "Ohé! ohé!" was responded.
I cut the mooring-line; and, seizing hold of the boat-hook, directed the raft towards the right bank, whence the uproar seemed to proceed. "Hiou! hiou! Chanito!" "Ohé! ohé!" I answered. I was just going to spring off, when the Indian came in sight, followed by Gringalet, and plunged into the water, holding his gun above his head.
I exclaimed; "one of the barrels 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." "Ohé, ohé, ohé!" 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.
Sumichrast now lifted up Lucien, and walked on with a determined step. I took up Master Job, and followed closely in his rear. We heard a dull noise, and stopped to listen. It was the report of a gun, and by-and-by we heard a horse galloping, and then a well-known bark. "That's Gringalet," said Lucien. "Hiou! hiou! hiou! Chanito!"
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