ell us quick, man; are they attacking the
estancia?' The man shook his head.

'Estancia burnt. All killed but me,' he said.

The news was too sudden and terrible for the boys to speak. They stood
white and motionless with horror.

'All killed! Oh, Ethel, Ethel!' Charley groaned.

Hubert burst into tears. 'What will mamma do?'

'Come, Hubert,' Charley said, dashing away the tears from his eyes, 'do
not let us waste a moment. All hope may not be over. The Indians seldom
kill women, but carry them away, and she may be alive yet. If she is,
we will rescue her, if we go right across America. Come, man, jump up
behind me on my horse.'

The peon obeyed the order, and in five minutes they reached the gate.
Here they dismounted.

'Let us walk up to the house, Hubert, so as not to excite suspicion. We
must call papa out and tell him first, so that he may break it to mamma.
If she learn it suddenly, it may kill her.'

Mr. Hardy had just taken his coffee, and was standing at the door,
looking with a pleased eye upon the signs of comfort and prosperity
around him. There was no need, therefore, for them to approach nearer.
As Mr. Hardy looked round upon hearing the gate shut, Charley beckoned
to him to come down to them. For a moment he seemed puzzled, and looked
round to see if the signal was directed to himself. Seeing that no one
else was near him, he again looked at the boys, and Charley earnestly
repeated the gesture.

Mr. Hardy, feeling that something strange was happening, ran down the
steps and hurried towards them.

By the time he reached them, he had no need to ask questions. Hubert was
leaning upon the gate, crying as if his heart would break; Charley stood
with his hand on his lips, as if to check the sobs from breaking out,
while the tears streamed down his cheeks.

'Ethel?' Mr. Hardy asked.

Charley nodded, and then said, with a great effort, 'The Indians have
burnt the estancia; one of the men has escaped and brought the news. We
know nothing more. Perhaps she is carried off, not killed.'

Mr. Hardy staggered under the sudden blow. 'Carried off!' he murmured to
himself. 'It is worse than death.'

'Yes, papa,' Charley said, anxious to give his father's thoughts a new
turn. 'But we will rescue her, if she is alive, wherever they may take
her.'

'We will, Charley; we will, my boys,' Mr. Hardy said earnestly, and
rousing himself at the thought 'I must go up and break it to your
mother; though how I shal