the boy smiled and said:

"The siafu would eat you at once."

"What is a siafu? Is it worse than a lion?"

"Worse and not worse. They are ants which bite terribly. There are a
great many of them on the branches from which they fall on people's
backs like a rain of fire. But they also walk on the ground. Dismount
from the horse and try merely to walk a little in the forest and at
once you will begin to jump and whine like a monkey. It is easier to
defend one's self against a lion. At times they move in immense ranks
and then everything gives way to them."

"And would you be able to cope with them?"

"I? Of course. With the help of fire or boiling water."

"You always know how to take care of yourself," she said with deep
conviction.

These words flattered Stas greatly; so he replied conceitedly and at
the same time merrily:

"If you were only well, then as to the rest depend upon me."

"My head does not even ache now."

"Thank God! Thank God!"

Speaking thus they passed the forest, but one flank of which reached
the hollow way. The sun was still high in the heaven and broiled
intensely, as the weather cleared and in the sky not a cloud could be
seen. The horses were covered with sweat and Nell began to complain of
the heat. For this reason Stas, having selected a suitable place,
turned to the ravine in which the western wall cast a deep shadow. It
was cool there, and the water remaining in the depressions after the
downpour was also comparatively cool. Over the little travelers' heads
continually flew from one brink of the ravine to the other toucans with
purple heads, blue breasts and yellow wings; so the boy began to tell
Nell what he knew from books about their habits.

"Do you know," he said, "there are certain toucans which during the
breeding season seek hollows in trees; there the female lays eggs and
sits upon them, while the male pastes the opening with clay so that
only her head is visible, and not until the young are hatched does the
male begin to peck with his long beak and free the mother."

"And what does she eat during that time?"

"The male feeds her. He continually flies about and brings her all kind
of berries."

"And does he permit her to sleep?" she asked in a sleepy voice. Stas
smiled.

"If Mrs. Toucan has the same desire that you have at this moment, then
he permits her."

In fact, in the cold ravine an unconquerable drowsiness oppressed the
little girl, as from morning until