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.'

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
flag-staff, 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.

Mr. Hardy paused at the men's hut to give Lopez a hearty rating for his
disobedience of orders in going so far out upon the plain. Then he came
up to the house. 'This is a bad affair, my dear,' he said cheerfully;
'but as long as we are all safe, we can thank God that it's no worse. We
shall get some of our beasts back yet, or I am mistaken. Ethel, run down
to