t was a dreadful night I do hope they are not so bad here, Frank?'

'No, Clara, they are nothing like so bad as they were last night; but
still, as we are so close to the river, they will, no doubt, be
troublesome, and I question whether the beds at the hotel have mosquito
curtains; but if you take my advice, and all sleep with the sheet over
your heads, you will manage to do pretty well. It is better to be hot
than to be bitten all over.'

In spite, however, of the expedient of the sheets, all the party passed
a bad night, and were quite ready to get up before daylight to start for
their ride to Mr. Percy's estancia. They were all to ride, with the
exception of Sarah, who took her place in one of the bullock-carts; and
they would therefore reach the estancia before the heat of the day
fairly set in. Terence having been told that Sarah was going to ride,
had cut some boughs, with which he made a sort of arbour over the cart
to shade her from the sun--a general method of the country, and at which
Sarah was much gratified. She had at first felt rather anxious at the
thought of going without her mistress; but Terence assured her: 'Sure,
miss, and it's meself, Terence Kelly, that will take care of ye; and no
danger shall come near your pretty face at all, at all; ye'll be quite
as safe as if ye were in the ould country. And as for the bastes, sure
and it's the quietest bastes they are, and niver thought of running away
since the day they were born.'

So Sarah took her place without uneasiness, and the others started at a
hand canter for Mr. Percy's estancia.

While at Mr. Thompson's, both Mrs. Hardy and the girls had ridden
regularly every day, so that all were quite at their ease on their
horses, and were able to talk away without ceasing of all that had
happened since they parted. The only caution Mr. Hardy had to give, with
a side-look at Charley, was, 'Look out for armadillo holes; because I
have known fellows who were wonderful at sticking on their horses, come
to grief at them.'

At which Hubert laughed; and Charley said, 'Oh papa!' and coloured up
and laughed, as was his way when his father joked him about his little
weaknesses.

They had not gone more than half way before they met Mr. Percy, who had
ridden thus far to welcome his guests, for English ladies are very
scarce out on the Pampas, and are honoured accordingly. One of the first
questions the girls asked after the first greetings were over, was,
'Have