ucted than others."

"Oh! M. Sumichrast, then you can never have examined their wings? The
Satan that St. Michael is treading under his feet in the beautiful
picture in the convent at Orizava has wings just like the bats. And as
to these caverns, every one knows that they are the residences of bad
spirits."

"Let us make our way at once into it, then," said Lucien, who in no way
shared his friend's superstition.

As on the day before, we descended to its bottom, and, skirting the
left-hand wall, entered a wide chamber, in which water fell in a
continual shower. We were inconvenienced by the icy drops which ran down
our clothes, and I therefore advised Sumichrast to turn back; but
instead of doing so, he pushed on into a winding passage. Before long
the roof became so low that Lucien alone could stand upright. I brought
up the rear, watching my guides, who kept on ascending or descending,
according to the inequalities of the ground. Sometimes it was necessary
to halt, to climb over a rock, or cross a pool of water. At last I saw
my companions again resume their upright position; we were now in a
hall, so vast that our torches were quite powerless to throw a light up
to the roof.

Surrounded by hundreds of bats, flitting round the torches like immense
moths, and yet always avoiding them, we had ample opportunity for
observing the precision of their flight. At length, stunned by their
shrill cries, I again proposed to beat a retreat, but Sumichrast
insisted upon continuing our search. He urged that the bats, who went
out every night into the open air to seek their food, would not be
likely to follow the narrow winding path we had followed; there must
therefore be some other outlet. My friend and l'Encuerado set off in
search of it; but I did not dare to venture farther with my boy over
the damp and sticky ground. Our two scouts, however, climbed some
enormous heaps of rock many feet above us; and we suddenly lost sight
them.

[Illustration: "Our two scouts climbed some enormous heaps of rocks."]

The bats still swarmed round us, pushing their familiarity so far as to
brush us with their wings. My prudence rather vexed Lucien, who had
become very intrepid. After about five minutes, Sumichrast's voice
summoned us, and we bent our steps towards the heap of rocks which had
been scaled by our companions.

The ascent was difficult, and, in spite of remonstrances, I would not
let go Lucien's hand. Fortunately I did not d