'Well, Signor Charles, I was keeping a good lookout, and it is lucky that I was. I was farther away than I ought to have been,--I know that, for the signor told me not to go far; but I knew that the rise that I took them to was the highest in that direction, and that I could see for miles away into the Indian country. So I got out there, and Pedro and Gomez had got the sheep and cattle all well together, and there was no fear of them straying, for the grass there is very good. So the men lay down for their siesta, and I was standing by my horse looking over the campo. Some of the beasts seemed uneasy, and I thought that there must be a lion somewhere about. So I got on my horse, and just as I did so I heard a noise; and looking behind, where I had never dreamt of them, I saw a lot of Indians coming up at full gallop from the hollow. The cattle went off at the same instant; and I gave a shout to the men, and stuck my spurs into Carlos. It was a near touch of it, and they gave me a hard chase for the first mile; but my horse was fresher than theirs, and they gave it up.' 'How many Indians were there?' Charley asked. '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 arrows 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 towards 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.'