y opened his eyes very wide at this, for he was always astonished
at the whims of the Indian, who never failed to interpret the cries and
gestures of animals according to his own fancy, and to give a sharp
rejoinder to the imaginary provocations which, as he considered, were
offered to him. Sometimes, even, he laid the blame on inanimate things,
and then his conversations with them were most amusing. The old hunter
had no doubt contracted this habit at a time when, living alone in the
woods and feeling the need of talking, he conversed with himself, having
no one else to address. However this might be, he kept up conversation
with either a leaf or a bird in perfectly artless sincerity.

For four hours we proceeded through the forest, feeling almost overcome
with the heat. Pines and oaks appeared, one after another, in almost
monotonous regularity. Gradually the ground began to slope, and the
altered pace we had to adopt both rested us and also increased the speed
of our march. At length we emerged into a valley. The vegetation was now
of an altered character, the ceibas, lignum-vitae trees, and creepers
were here and there to be seen.

"Halt!" I cried out.

I soon got rid of my travelling gear, an example my companions were not
slow in following. L'Encuerado and Lucien immediately set to work to
find some dry branches, while Sumichrast and I began to cut down the
grass over a space of several square yards.

"Have we finished our day's journey, then?" asked Lucien.

"Yes," I replied; "don't you feel tired?"

"Not very; I could easily go farther. Have we walked very far?"

"About four leagues."

"And are we really going to rest after a trifle like that? I always
thought travellers went on walking until night."

"Nonsense!" said I, taking hold of his ear. "What an undaunted young
pedestrian! Four leagues a day are no such trifle when you have to begin
again next morning. 'Slow and steady wins the race,' says an old
proverb, which I intend to carry out to the letter; for forced marches
would soon injure our health, and then good-bye to the success of our
expedition. As to walking until night, it is perfectly impossible,
except when one is certain to meet with an inn. Under these large trees,
no one will ever think of getting ready a meal for us; and, I suppose,
you haven't much wish to die of hunger. We may very likely have to tramp
one or two leagues more before we are able to kill the game which will
form the ma