there is; forward! forward!"

Five minutes after we reached an open spot bathed in sunshine amidst a
thicket of tree-ferns and high grass. The trees, placed more widely
apart, were covered with gigantic creepers drooping to the ground. Here
we again heard the note of the hocco.

While I was clearing the ground, Sumichrast and l'Encuerado took up a
position amidst the bushes. I gave some water to Gringalet, whose tongue
hung out, for he had possibly suffered most, as he would not eat the
fruit which afforded us relief.

Two shots were fired shortly afterwards; but the sportsmen soon returned
with such a disappointed air that I felt sure they had been
unsuccessful.

I made a joke of the matter, and pretended that the dry maize-cakes were
better than the fattest turkey. I spoke with such apparent seriousness
that my companions began to get animated, and a sharp controversy gave a
zest to our frugal meal. I asserted, too, that the tepid water in our
gourds surpassed in flavor the product of the coolest spring, and that
the acid _timbirichi_ was the best of fruits. Gradually, however, I gave
way, and at bed-time pretended to be quite converted. I had amused our
party, and that was all I wanted.

The night passed without any incident save the continued attacks of
mosquitoes, and the unfortunate Gringalet pressing close to us to avoid
the cruel stings of the blood-thirsty insects which much annoyed him.

At sunrise I gave the word to start, and all day long we met with no
glade to give variety to our path. I could not help admiring Lucien,
who, although suffering from heat, fatigue, and thirst, uttered not one
complaint, but only looked at me with a sad face. Two or three times I
tried to enliven him; the poor little fellow then shook his troublesome
burden and smiled back so painfully that I was quite affected.
L'Encuerado, overwhelmed by his basket, puffed noisily, and declared
every now and then that he could sniff the river and the smell of the
crocodiles. This nonsense enlivened our march a little; but soon, dull
and silent, we resumed our sluggish pace. At last fatigue compelled us
to halt, when Lucien and l'Encuerado went off to sleep, quite forgetting
their suppers. I proposed to Sumichrast to regain as soon as we could
the mountain path.

"Let us keep on one day more," said my friend; "we have still four
bottles of water left, and even if we give Lucien and Gringalet the
largest share, it will serve us for ano