"I don't know, Signor Charles. It was only those in front that I caught sight of, and I never looked round after I started. Some of them had firearms, for eight or ten of them fired after me as I made off, and the arrow, fell all round me." "What do you think, girls, about the number?" The girls were silent, and then Ethel said: "They were all in a lump, Charley. One could not see them separately." "The lump seemed to be about the size that our cattle do when they are close together at the same distance. Don't you think so, Ethel?" Maud said. "Yes," Ethel thought that they were. "Then there must be from a hundred to a hundred and fifty of them," Charley said. "I wonder what papa will do! One of us had better ride off at once and fetch him." "I will go," Hubert said, moving away to saddle his horse. "Stop, Hubert," Charley said; "I think you had better take Lopez's horse. I don't know what papa may make up his mind to do, and it is better to have your horse quite fresh." Hubert agreed at once, and was mounting, when Maud said: "Wait a moment, Hubert, I will run up to the lookout. I may see papa; it is nearly time for him to be home." Hubert paused while Maud ran up to the house, and in a minute appeared at the top of the tower. She stood for a moment looking across the stream toward Canterbury, and then held up her hand. "I can see him," she called out. "He is a long way off, but he is coming." Hubert was about to alight again, when Mrs. Hardy said: "You had better ride to meet your papa, Hubert. He will be very much alarmed when he sees the flag, and it will be a great satisfaction to him to know that we at least are all safe." Hubert at once galloped off, while Maud continued to watch her father. He was about two miles distant, and was riding quietly. Then for a little while she lost sight of him. As he came up on the next rise she saw him suddenly stop his horse. She guessed that he was gazing at the flagstaff, for there was not a breath of wind, and the flag drooped straight down by the pole, so that it was difficult to distinguish it at a distance. Then she was sure that he made it out, for he came on at a furious gallop; and as he came nearer she could see that he had taken his gun from its place and was carrying it across his arm in readiness for instant action. In a few minutes Hubert met him, and after a short pause the two rode together back to the house at a canter.