lping him, and carries the basket containing their
food.

You would call the Colonel a fine-looking man. His hair is as white as
bleached flax. So, too, are his moustaches. He wears no beard. His
face is cleanly shaved, showing a complexion bronzed and somewhat ruddy.
The expression of his countenance is mild, though firm. He is much
thinner than he has been in his time, on account of the amputation of
his leg, which often produces this effect. His dress is simple. A
jacket of yellow nankeen, a striped cotton shirt, with loose cottonade
trousers of bright sky colour. A Panama hat, with very broad brim,
shades his eyes from the sun, and his shirt is open at the throat, for
the day is warm. Thus is the Colonel attired. Hugot is dressed after a
somewhat similar fashion; but the material of his jacket and trousers is
coarser, and his hat is of the common palmetto leaf.

Look at Basil, the oldest of the boys. He is at work fixing some straps
to a hunting-saddle, that lies on the grass beside him. Basil is
exactly seventeen years of age. He is a fine-looking lad, though not
what you might call handsome. His face has a courageous expression, and
his form betokens strength. His hair is straight, and black as jet. He
is more like an Italian than either of his brothers. He is, in fact,
the son of his father--a true Corsican. Basil is a "mighty hunter." He
is more fond of the chase than of aught else. He loves hunting for
itself, and delights in its dangers. He has got beyond the age of
bird-catching and squirrel shooting. His ambition is not now to be
satisfied with anything less exciting than a panther, bear, or buffalo
hunt.

How very unlike him is Lucien, the second in age! Unlike in almost
everything. Lucien is delicately formed, with a light complexion and
very fair hair. He is more like what his mother was, for she was
fair-haired and _blonde_, as are many of her people--the Basques.
Lucien is passionately fond of books and study. He is busy with a book
just now in the verandah. He is a student of natural history in
general, but botany and geology are his favourite sciences, and he has
made considerable progress in both. He accompanies Basil on all hunting
expeditions; but, in the midst of the most exciting chase, Lucien would
leap down from his horse if a rare plant or flower, or an odd-looking
rock, was to fall under his eye. Lucien talks but little--not half so
much as most boys--but altho