ld ever have got up if l'Encuerado had
not thought of cutting some branches of dwarf elder for walking-sticks.
Above every thing, I wished to keep Lucien from the suffering caused by
coming in contact with the _Mala-mujer_, as the Mexicans call it, and it
was with a sigh of relief that I saw him safe and sound out of this
_cul-de-sac_.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XII.

A RELATION OF GRINGALET.--OUR FOUR-FOOTED GUIDE.--A REVIEW OF OUR
PARTY.--THE ALLIGATOR-TORTOISE.--THE PHEASANTS.--THE MAGNOLIA.--THE
NUTMEG-TREE.--THE BLUE-PLANT.--THE CATERPILLAR.

As the sun was setting, our wisest course was to go back to our bivouac
of the evening before, and to postpone until the next day the discovery
of the passage we had sought in vain. Upon the whole, the sight of the
cataract had amply repaid us for our useless walk.

Our little party, therefore, once more plunged into the forest, rather
at random, though taking care not to go too far from the stream. Two or
three times we seemed to have reached the spot where we left the bank;
but we soon got into the most inextricable thickets. As the time wore
on, I began to think we had passed the place; and, as is often the case
in similar circumstances, opinions were divided. A fox, which appeared
within gunshot, interrupted our discussion. I fired, and the animal
fell. It was a magnificent specimen, and exactly like its European
confrere. By a singular chance, at the very moment it was expiring, a
crow just above our heads uttered a loud croaking.

"There! the crow is thanking us for having rid him of his enemy, the
fox," said Sumichrast to Lucien.

The boy laughed heartily at this joke. In spite of our advice,
l'Encuerado would insist upon skinning the animal, whose pelt he wished
to preserve. Fortunately, he was very quick at such an operation, and
the beautiful fur was soon hanging over his arm, ready to be stretched
outside his basket to dry.

"I hope," said Sumichrast to Lucien, "that you have already recognized
the fox's relationship."

"Oh yes! in its color and shape it is like the _cayotte_."

"You are quite right, but the _cayotte_ and the fox are both Gringalet's
cousins."

"I can scarcely believe that, for Gringalet has short hair, is spotted
with black and white, has gray eyes--"

"Those are only secondary characteristics," interrupted Sumichrast.
"Gringalet belongs to the carnivorous type, called by naturalists
_Digitigrades_."

"Is Gringalet a digitig