Quite a pack of
dogs accompanied them--the two mastiffs, the setters, and four
dogs, two of which belonged to Lopez, and the others to Hans and
Seth: these last, seeing that their masters had no intention of
going out, determined to join the party upon their own account.
These dogs were all mongrels of no particular breed, but were
useful in hunting, and were ready to attack a fox, an animal which
swarms upon the pampas, and does great damage among the young
lambs.
For the first three or four miles nothing was seen save the
boundless green plain, extending in all directions; and then, upon
ascending a slight rise, they saw in the dip before them two
ostriches. Almost simultaneously the creatures caught sight of
their enemies, and went off at a prodigious rate, followed by the
dogs and horsemen. For a time their pace was so fast that their
pursuers gained but little upon them. Presently, however, the dogs
gained upon one of them, and, by their barking and snapping at it,
impeded its movements. The horsemen were close together, and the
boys had drawn out their revolvers to fire, when their father
cried, "Don't fire, boys! Watch Lopez."
At this moment the gaucho took from the pommel of his saddle two
balls like large bullets, connected with a long cord.
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