During our absence, l'Encuerado had cut down three palm-trees and hollowed out the lower part of the trunks, in order to collect their sweet sap. He also wove a sort of palisade of creepers round several thick stakes, in which we could sleep without fear of surprise. In a hole near the top of one of the palm-trees, Lucien spied out a parrot's nest, and had taken possession of two young birds, red, green, and yellow in color, which seemed to adapt themselves wonderfully to the attentions lavished upon them by the boy.
"What are you going to do with these poor orphans?" I asked.
"I am going to take them home to my brother and sister. L'Encuerado says that they would perch on the edge of his load."
"How shall you feed them?"
"With fruit, and sometimes with meat. M. Sumichrast said yesterday that they would eat any thing that was given to them. I have already named them 'Verdet' and 'Janet.'"
"They will be sure to get within reach of Gringalet; are you sure that he will leave them alone?"
"L'Encuerado has already given him a lecture about it."
"Still I am very much afraid that 'Verdet' and 'Janet' will come to an untimely end."
While we were resting, Lucien and his friend went off to examine a caoutchouc-tree. The boy came back much disappointed.
"Your India-rubber-tree isn't worth much," said he to Sumichrast, showing him a thick white liquid, which he had just collected.