ey, spitting just like cats, and trying to tear it with their
formidable claws. The mother was obliged to put a stop to the quarrel by
an energetic display of authority, allotting a separate victim to each
of her ferocious offspring; then she lay down and yawned several times,
while the young ones were tearing to pieces the bodies of their prey.
When they had eaten all they required, the mother gluttonously devoured
all that was left, without ceasing to watch a third mole, round which
the two young carnivora were prowling. Whenever they came near her prey,
she gave a growl; and they seemed to know the meaning of this maternal
injunction, for they crouched down to the ground, and drew back,
lowering their heads, as if from fear. As soon as her repast was
finished, the _jaquarete_ caught up in her mouth the untouched mole, and
made off without noticing us.

"What do you think of these little ogres?" asked Sumichrast, addressing
Lucien.

"How very pretty they are, with their black shiny coats! They are just
like big cats."

"That's very likely, for cats are their first cousins."

"Do _jaquaretes_ ever attack men?"

"No; but, still, if we had tried to touch her young ones, the mother
would perhaps have flown at us."

"To eat us?" asked Lucien, opening his eyes very widely.

"She would bite and tear us with her claws, or otherwise injure us. But
seriously, as a general rule, wild beasts, or _carnivora_, as the
_savants_ call them, are always formidable, and, whatever may be their
size, it is unsafe to provoke them. If one of us, unarmed, had to fight
hand to hand with a wild-cat, it is probable that he would receive more
injury from the contest than the animal."

Night was now falling fast; but, fortunately, our fire guided us to our
resting-place. When we were yet some distance off, we were amused at
seeing the Indian prowling round, or gravely sitting down face to face
with the dog, with whom, no doubt, he was chatting. Suddenly the dog
jumped up, pricking up his ears, and ran out to meet us, while
l'Encuerado raised over his head a burning branch to throw a light upon
our path.

At day-break we were awakened by the voice of the Indian. The gloomy
appearance of the weather threatened us with one of those fine rains
which appear to last forever. Sumichrast went off to cut some long
switches covered with leaves, one of which light boughs he handed to
each of us before he would allow us to enter the cave.

"What