oise into this miniature inclosure.

Night came on, and Lucien was still teaching the birds to say "Hortense"
and "Emile." To our great astonishment, Gringalet went and stretched
himself close to Master Job, who, without hesitation, commenced freeing
him from the vermin which were lodged among his hair; then the two
friends went to sleep side by side. About nine o'clock, when I was
making up the fire before going to rest myself, Janet opened one of her
eyes and chattered a short sentence; but l'Encuerado was much too fast
asleep to answer her.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE HUNTERS HUNTED.--ESCAPE FROM PECCARIES.--A
JAGUAR-HUNT.--AN IBIS.--THE CAYMANS.--THE WILD
BULLS.

After we had finished our breakfast next morning, we embarked our
baggage and menagerie, and prepared to depart. I was just going on board
the raft when a noise attracted our attention to the forest, and two
peccaries rushed past us, pursuing one another. L'Encuerado, taken by
surprise, shot at one of the animals without killing it, and we all gave
chase. Hardly had we gone a hundred paces, when the Indian, who was in
front of us, turned right about, shouting out, "To the raft! to the
raft!"

[Illustration: "A band of peccaries was pursuing us."]

A noise like the gallop of a troop of horses seemed to shake the
ground. A band of peccaries was pursuing us; and as my two companions
halted to fire, I succeeded in gaining the raft, on which I placed
Lucien. The peccaries, about a hundred in number, rushed on in a furious
crowd. Sumichrast, who was closely pressed by them, leaped upon the
frail bark, almost capsizing it, while l'Encuerado ran along the shore.

"Cut the mooring and push off!" he cried out to me as he disappeared in
the jungle.

Some of the peccaries rushed after the Indian; the others, chasing and
hustling one another, deafened us with their gruntings. 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!"

"Ohe! ohe!" 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.

L'Encuerado, instead of coming to us on the raft, turned towards a
peccary which in its eagerness had fallen into the water and was
endeavoring to reach the bank. He seized it by an ear and dragged it
tow