The aborigines set before us rice and beans. After this frugal repast, washed down with cold water, I wanted Lucien to lie down on a large mat; but the restless little being took advantage of his elders being comfortably stretched out to sleep, and ran off to see our hostess's fowls roosting for the night on a dead tree, and then to prowl up and down in company with l'Encuerado. The latter had ferreted out a three-corded guitar which was in the hut, and strummed away at the same tune for hours together--no doubt to the great pleasure of the boy, although to us it was quite the reverse. At last our bedding was unrolled, and I enjoined repose on all. Gringalet couched down in the hut, at the feet of his young master. L'Encuerado, however, preferred sleeping in the open air, only too happy, as he said, to see the sky above, and to feel the wind blow straight into his face without having to be filtered through walls and windows. FOOTNOTES: [C] Two grotesque little phenomena were once shown in London and Paris as specimens of the Aztec race. When I speak of Aztecs, my young readers may perhaps think I allude to these dwarfs. I will therefore state, once for all, that this name is intended to apply only to the Indians, the descendants of the fine race over whom Montezuma was emperor when Cortez conquered them. By Mexicans, or Creoles, we mean the descendants of the Spanish race. [D] About threepence. [Illustration] CHAPTER III. WAKING UP IN THE MORNING.--THE PIGMY WORLD OF LILLIPUT.--L'ENCUERADO AND THE BOTTLES.--MASSACRE OF THISTLES.--THE CHARCOAL-BURNING INDIANS. I rose long before day and woke my companion. Lucien rubbed his eyes two or three times, trying in vain to make out where he was. After some moments, drawing the coverlet over him, he turned round to go to sleep again. "Now, then, young Lazybones!" I cried, "don't you hear the cock crowing, telling us we ought to be on our road? Jump up and look round, and you will see the birds and the insects are already busy." The child got up, appearing half stupefied, and stretched himself with a long yawn. "Oh, papa!" he said, "I ache all over; I'm sure I shall never be able to walk." "You are quite mistaken," I replied, half supporting him. "You only feel a little tired and stiff; your limbs will very soon work as freely as ever. Go and warm yourself by the fire, where our kind hostess is preparing coffee." The little fellow did as he was told; but he limped sadly. "Do your legs feel like mine?" he asked of l'Encuerado. "No, Chanito; we did not walk far enough yesterday for that." "You can't mean that we haven't walked far? Papa says that we are now seven leagues from Orizava." "Yes; that may seem a great deal to you, and perhaps too much; that is why I wanted to put you up on the top of my pack. Now, come, let me see where you suffer." "All over my limbs, but particularly inside my knees." "Wait a minute, and I'll soon cure you."