It was almost twilight when she awoke, and the rays of the setting sun gleamed between the leaves. Drowsily stirring, she heard the sound of voices, and sitting up suddenly she saw a little Indian girl talking to a splendid cockatoo which perched upon her hand. The parrot was chattering in Portuguese, and his little mistress was talking to him lovingly, but she sprang away in fright as Maria got up from the ground. "Can you show me the way to the camp?" she asked. "I am lost." "What camp? Where did you come from?" asked the Indian. She was a little younger than Maria, and dressed in a quaint little peasant's costume of blue skirt and red blouse with a huge straw hat upon her black hair. Quickly Maria told her story and the little girl said, "I can take you back. You must have run very quickly to have come so far. We must start at once to reach the Mission before dark." "Oh, thank you ever so much," said Maria. "I am so anxious to get back, for my father will be hunting for me." "He might hunt all night and not find you, for the forest has many paths," said the little girl. She had a sad little face but it was very sweet when she smiled. "What is your name?" asked Maria as the two girls trudged along through the forest, her companion still carrying the cockatoo. "_Guacha_,[18] because I have no mother," she answered. "That is my Indian name, but I am also called Teresa." "My mother is dead, too," said Maria, and the two little girls looked into one another's eyes with sympathy. "My father is dead, also," said Guacha. "We were of the Mission Indians, but all my own people died of the fever two years ago." "But who do you live with?" asked Maria. "Have you no friends at all?" "Oh, I live with some of the Indians who were my father's friends!" said Guacha, "and Chiquita here is my good friend," and she smiled at the bird, who chattered to her gaily and pecked gently at her cheek. "I wish you could go home with me!" cried Maria impulsively, and just then she heard a shout resounding through the forest, "Maria! Maria!" sounded her father's voice, and the two little girls hurried along faster, Maria answering the call as loudly as she could. In a few moments they came in sight of the camp, and Maria was caught to her father's breast and kissed and scolded all in the same breath, while the rest of the children gathered around, eager with questions, all but Guacha, who stood apart, wistful and silent. Maria did not forget her, however, for escaping from her father's arms, she took the little Indian girl by the hand and said, "Scold me all you want to, Daddy, though I did not mean to run away, but be kind to Guacha, who brought me back and who has no father." Then the little Indian was made welcome, thanked and made much of, and the Senhora said, "You must stay all night with us, dear child, for it is too late for you to return home through the forest. Will they be worried about you?"