l'Encuerado?" asked Lucien, in a low voice.

"Probably because he has discovered the trail of some animal."

I had scarcely finished speaking, when a movement in the leaves
attracted my attention. A fine fox, with an eager look, and its tail
lowered, rushed past me. I fired, but without effect, for it bolted off
among the trees, followed by Gringalet. Almost at the same moment, a
report told me that l'Encuerado had also seen game.

Lucien was very sorry that I had missed the fox; I only regretted having
lost a charge of powder, and also having awkwardly put to flight the
quarry which was probably being pursued by my companions. I then
continued my work of cutting off the branches, and told Lucien to strike
the flint and light the fire. Thanks to l'Encuerado's lessons, he
managed his work much better than I had expected.

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! Chanito!" we heard shouted in the distance.

"Hallo! hallo!" answered the boy.

And, soon after, l'Encuerado returned, carrying a fawn on his shoulders.

"Oh! what a pretty little creature!" cried Lucien; "why didn't you take
it alive?"

"Bullets are the only things that can run as fast as these animals,
Chanito."

"What became of the mother?" asked Sumichrast.

"I was not able to get near her; but at all events, we have more than
enough meat now, both for to-day and to-morrow."

Lucien took possession of the fawn. He had always longed to possess one
of these animals alive. He duly examined the slender legs and tapering
muzzle of the poor creature, whose fawn-colored back, dotted over with
symmetrically arranged spots, would change in color as it got older.

"Well, Master 'Sunbeam,' in what class will you place this mammal?"
asked Sumichrast, addressing Lucien.

"It is not like any of those I know."

"Well, then, you never can have seen goats, cows, or sheep. It is a
ruminant, or an animal which has three or four stomachs. Its lower jaw
is provided with eight incisors, while the upper jaw has nothing but a
cushion or gum."

"That's right enough," said Lucien, opening the fawn's mouth.