"Seems to be," said Wyndham drily. "You'd think he'd had enough of that sort of thing day before yesterday, and this morning, to last him at any rate for a day or two, and now instead of having a quiet smoke and a cool drink, like a rational Christian, he must race off along with your crowd to contract for some more knocks. Silly ass!" "There's something in it when you put things that way. But--I say. Who's the lady?" "Where?" following his glance. "Oh, that's Miss Vidal, Fullerton's sister-in-law." "So! By Jove! what a fine-looking girl. Oh! oh!--Wyndham, you deep-down dog! So that's where the little venture in charioteering came in, eh? I see." "Shut up, Selby, and don't be a silly ass," answered Wyndham shortly. "I hate that sort of chaff, you know." "Oh, all right, old man. Keep your shirt in," was the good-humoured rejoinder. "I think I'll go and talk to Miss Vidal now," said Wyndham, just a trifle self-consciously. "By Jove! she has been plucky throughout all this." "So? Well, good luck, old man." Clare had returned to her post of observation outside, but there was still no sign of the returning pursuit: and now a dire heart-sinking began to take the place of her former resentment. She looked at her watch. They had been away an hour nearly. Surely the work of completing the rout should have been over by that time. They should be returning, and there was one whom she would scold--scold gently--for having gone with them. No. She believed she would not scold him at all. It would be all too sufficing to behold him once more safe and sound. "Taking a morning constitutional, Miss Vidal? Well, it has turned out a lovely day, hasn't it?" And Wyndham, conscious of the banality of the remark, felt rather foolish. She turned, but she was hardly listening to him. Why did they not come back? ran her thoughts. Had they, rendered reckless by success, pursued the fleeing enemy too far? The force which had attacked them was a strong one--strong and daring. What if it had recovered from its first wild panic? What if it had rallied, and shown a sudden change of front to its pursuers? What if the latter had straggled and been cut off in detail by the vengeful savages; all of which reduced to detail meant: What if one of them had? "What do you think, Mr Wyndham?" she said suddenly. "Why are they so long away?" Wyndham was no fool, and apart from what he had heard hinted at--albeit always in a kindly and good-natured way--would have had no difficulty in putting two and two together. "Don't you be anxious, Miss Vidal," he said. "Those men are a hard-bitten lot, and not in the least likely to be led into any booby trap." "You think so?" she queried, speaking quickly. "I'm sure of it. Ah--Look there. See? I was right. Here they come."