only alarm was, that one of us might repeat my
disaster of the armadillo hole. So I only tried to hold my own thirty or
forty yards ahead. I made sure that one or other of you would see us
coming, and I should have shouted loudly enough, I can tell you, to warn
you as I came up. Besides, I knew that, at the worst, the arms were
hanging above the fireplace, and that we only wanted time to run in,
catch them up, and get to the door, to be able to defend the house till
you could help us. And now, what is your story, Charley?'

'I have even less than you, papa. I was down at the dam, and then I went
into the hen-house, and I was just thinking that I could make a better
arrangement for the nests, when I heard an Indian war-yell between me
and the house. It was followed almost directly by two cracks, which I
knew were the girls' rifles. I rushed to the door and looked out, and I
saw two Indians coming along at full gallop. By the direction they were
taking, they would pass only a little way from the hen-house; so I
stepped back till I heard they were opposite, and then, going out, I
gave both barrels to the nearest to me, and stopped his galloping about
pretty effectually. When I reached the place, I saw that Hubert had had
a narrow squeak of it, for Maud had fainted, and Ethel was in a great
state of cry. But I had no time to ask many questions, for I ran up to
hoist the danger flag, and then saw you and Fitzgerald coming along with
the Indians after you. Now, Hubert, let's hear your story.'

'Well, papa, you know I said yesterday that I was sure that I had seen a
new duck, and this afternoon I rode out to the pools, in hopes that he
might still be there. I left my horse, and crept on very cautiously
through the reeds till I got sight of the water. Sure enough, there was
the duck, rather on the other side. I waited for a long half hour, and
at last he came over rather nearer. He dived at my first barrel, but as
he came up, I gave him my second. Flirt went in and brought him out. He
was new, sure enough,--two blue feathers under the eye----'

'Bother the duck, Hubert,' Charley put in. 'We don't care for his blue
feathers; we want to hear about the Indians.'

'Well, I am coming to the Indians,' Hubert said; 'but it was a new duck,
for all that; and if you like it, I will show it you. There!' And he
took it out of his pocket and laid it on the table. No one appeared to
have the slightest interest in it, or to pay any attentio