This triple menace had the effect of making him keep quiet—­this unsubmissive cousin—­for about an hour.  Then he began to go away again, and, as he would do the same, even without net, without box, and without glasses, they were obliged to let him do as he pleased.  But Hercules undertook to watch him closely—­which quite naturally became one of his duties—­and it was agreed that he would act with Cousin Benedict as the latter would with an insect; that is, that he would catch him, if necessary, and bring him back as delicately as the other would with the rarest of the lepidopters.

That rule made, they troubled themselves no more about Cousin Benedict.

The little troop, it has been seen, was well armed, and guarded itself carefully.  But, as Harris repeated, there was no encounter to fear except with wandering Indians, and they would probably see none.

At all events, the precautions taken would suffice to keep them respectful.

The paths which wound across the thick forest did not merit that name.  They were rather the tracks of animals than the tracks of men.  They could only be followed with difficulty.  So, in fixing the average distance that the little troop would make in a march of twelve hours at only five or six miles, Harris had calculated wisely.

The weather, however, was very fine.  The sun mounted toward the zenith, spreading in waves his almost perpendicular rays.  On the plain this heat would be unbearable, Harris took care to remark; but, under those impenetrable branches, they bore it easily and with impunity.

The greater part of the trees of this forest were unknown, as well to Mrs. Weldon as to her companions, black or white.

However, an expert would remark that they were more remarkable for their quality than for their height.  Here, it was the “banhinia,” or iron wood; there, the “molompi,” identical with the “pterocarpe,” a solid and light wood, fit for making the spoons used in sugar manufactories or oars, from the trunk of which exuded an abundant resin; further on, “fusticks,” or yellow wood, well supplied with coloring materials, and lignum-vitaes, measuring as much as twelve feet in diameter, but inferior in quality to the ordinary lignum-vitaes.

While walking, Dick Sand asked Harris the name of these different trees.

“Then you have never been on the coast of South America?” Harris asked him before replying to his question.

“Never,” replied the novice; “never, during my voyages, have I had occasion to visit these coasts, and to say the truth, I do not believe that anybody who knew about them has ever spoken to me of them.”

“But have you at least explored the coasts of Colombia, those of Chili, or of Patagonia?”

“No, never.”

“But perhaps Mrs. Weldon has visited this part of the new continent?” asked Harris.  “Americans do not fear voyages, and doubtless——­”

“No, Mr. Harris,” replied Mrs. Weldon.  “The commercial interests of my husband have never called him except to New Zealand, and I have not had to accompany him elsewhere.  Not one of us, then, knows this portion of lower Bolivia.”