will move a little across, so that we can get a good sight of
them as they pass, and make sure that they have got nothing with them.'

'They are coming exactly this way, papa.'

'Yes, I see, Hubert; they are no doubt riding back upon their trail.
They will turn off quickly enough when they see us.'

But the new-comers did not do so, continuing straight forward.

'Get your carbines ready, boys; but don't fire till I tell you. They
must belong to some other party, and cannot know what has happened. No
doubt they take us for Indians.'

'I don't think they are Indians at all,' Hubert said, as the figures
rapidly approached.

'Don't you, Hubert? We shall soon see. Halloo!'

'Halloo! hurrah!!' came back to them; and in another five minutes they
were shaking hands heartily with their three friends from Canterbury,
the Jamiesons, and two or three other neighbouring settlers.

They told them that Farquhar, as soon as Lopez brought news of the
attack, had sent mounted men off to all the other settlements, begging
them to meet that night at Mount Pleasant. By nine o'clock they had
assembled, and, after a consultation, had agreed that the Indians would
be satisfied with their present booty, and that therefore no guard would
be necessary at their own estancias.

A good feed and four hours' rest had been given to their horses, and
when the moon rose they had started. Two hours after leaving they had
seen a dark mass approaching, and had prepared for an encounter; but it
had turned out to be the animals, who were going towards home at a
steady pace. There seemed, they said, to be a good many horses among
them.

Assured by this that some encounter or other had taken place with the
Indians, they had ridden on with much anxiety, and were greatly relieved
at finding Mr. Hardy and his boys safe.

The whole party now proceeded at a rapid pace towards home, which they
reached in four hours' riding. As they came in sight of the watch-tower,
Mr. Herries separated himself from the others, and rode thirty or forty
yards away to the left, returning to the others. This he repeated three
times, greatly to Mr. Hardy's surprise.

'What are you doing, Herries?' he asked.

'I am letting them know you are all well. We agreed upon that signal
before we started. They would be able to notice one separate himself
from the rest in that way as far as they could see us, and long before
they could make out any other sort of signal.'

In a shor