"I, no matter!" replied Mrs. Weldon; "but I perceive that my little
Jack is gradually becoming exhausted! The fever begins to affect him at
certain hours!"

"Yes," replied Harris, "and although the climate of this plateau is
very healthful, it must be acknowledged that in March and April
intermittent fevers reign."

"Doubtless," then said Dick Sand, "but also Nature, who is always and
everywhere provident, has put the remedy near the evil!"

"And how is that, my young friend?" asked Harris, who did not seem to
understand.

"Are we not, then, in the region of the quinquinas?" replied Dick Sand.

"In fact," said Harris, "you are perfectly right. The trees which
furnish, the precious febrifuge bark are native here."

"I am even astonished," added Dick Sand, "that we have not yet seen a
single one."

"Ah! my young friend," replied Harris, "those trees are not easy to
distinguish. Though they are often of great height, though their leaves
are large, their flowers rosy and odoriferous, we do not discover them
easily. It is rarely that they grow in groups. They are rather
scattered through the forests, and the Indians who collect the
quinquina can only recognize them by their foliage, always green."

"Mr. Harris," said Mrs. Weldon, "if you see one of those trees you will