ast obliged to give the required promise.

Mr. and Mrs. Hardy were not surprised when, two or three days after
this, Mr. Cooper rode up and said that he had come to say good-bye, that
he had received letters urging him to return at once, and had therefore
made up his mind to start by the next mail from Buenos Ayres.

The young Hardys were all surprised at this sudden determination, but
there was little time to discuss it, as Mr. Cooper had to start the same
night for Rosario.

Very warm and earnest were the adieus; and the colour, which had rather
left Maud's face, returned with redoubled force as he held her hand, and
said very earnestly the words Mr. Hardy had permitted him to use.

Then he leapt into his saddle and galloped off, waving his hand, as he
crossed the river, to the group which were still standing in the
verandah watching him.

For a few days after this Maud was unusually quiet and subdued, but her
natural spirits speedily recovered themselves, and she was soon as
lively and gay as ever.

About a fortnight after the departure of Mr. Cooper, an event took place
which for a while threatened to upset all the plans which they had
formed for the future.

One or other of the girls were in the habit of frequently going over to
stay for a day or two with Mrs. Mercer.

One evening Hubert rode over with Ethel, and Mrs. Mercer persuaded the
latter to stay for the night; Hubert declining to do so, as he had
arranged with Charley to go over early to Canterbury to assist at the
branding of the cattle at that station.

In the morning they had taken their coffee, and were preparing for a
start, when, just as they were mounting their horses, one of the men
drew their attention to a man running at full speed towards the house
from the direction of Mr. Mercer's.

'What can be the matter?' Charley said. 'What a strange thing that a
messenger should come over on foot instead of on horseback!'

'Let's ride and meet him, Charley,' Hubert said; and putting spurs to
their horses, they galloped towards the approaching figure.

As they came close to him he stumbled and fell, and lay upon the ground,
exhausted and unable to rise.

The boys sprang from their horses with a feeling of vague uneasiness and
alarm.

'What is the matter?' they asked.

The peon was too exhausted to reply for a moment or two; then he gasped
out, 'Los Indios! the Indians!'

The boys gave a simultaneous cry of dread.

'What has happened? T