ch, I fancied I heard
the distant report of a gun. I jumped up--was it the fall of a tree? or
was it a signal from one of our companions? I seized my gun, but I
hesitated before expending my last cartridge but one. At length I
pressed the trigger, and I listened anxiously as the sound of my shot
died away, alas! without echo. Lucien did not move.

"Jump up! jump up!" I cried; for a dull barking moved the air. Suddenly
I fired my last barrel; then, with eyes shut, mouth open, and nostrils
dilated, I listened intently, almost forgetting to breathe.
Minutes--they seemed ages--elapsed without any thing more interrupting
the silence. Lucien looked at me with a scared face; I pressed my weapon
to me in despair at having expended my last charge, when a gunshot was
heard ringing out clear and close.

"It is l'Encuerado!" cried Lucien.

"Yes, my boy," I said, almost frantic.

"Reply to your friend!" 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."

"Ohe, ohe, ohe!" 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. After having overwhelmed us with caresses,
the dog made off again, and ten minutes later the Indian made his
appearance, and, running to the boy, clasped him in his arms, and
rolled with him on the ground in the excess of his wild emotion. I, too,
heartily greeted Sumichrast, but was almost too affected to speak.

All my companion's efforts to discover our trail had been ineffectual;
and Gringalet himself, when put to the task, had hunted in vain round
the thickets. The fact was, they looked for us on the right, while we
had gone to the left; for Sumichrast could not bring his mind to the
idea that we had turned our backs to the stream.

L'Encuerado, after cooking, spread out on the spot his stock of
provisions, to which every one did justice. Master Job was lodged safely
under the shelter of a large branch, and deep sleep took possession of
the whole party.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXX.

WE BUILD A RAFT.--THE HORNED SERPENT.--GOOD-BYE TO
"PALM-TREE VILLA."--MOSQUITOES AND
HORSE-FLIES.--THE RATTLESNAKE.--AN OCELOT.

The next day found us at work building our raft, and l'Encuera