"
Mr. Percy promised to forward the letter the very next day by a
bullock-cart he was sending in, and also that the same cart should
bring them back. He said that if a conveyance were sent over in two
days' time for them they would be in readiness at his place.
This conversation caused Mr. Hardy great uneasiness. It was a
possibility he had been quite prepared for; but he could not feel
that the danger was really at hand without an anxious feeling. His
thousand sheep had cost him twelve hundred and fifty dollars, and
his cattle as much more. The lambing season had come and gone, and
the flock of sheep had doubled in number. The cattle, too, had
greatly increased, and the sheep were nearly ready for shearing.
Altogether the value of the stock was over five thousand dollars.
The loss would not be absolute ruin, as he had still three thousand
dollars of his original capital in the bank at Buenos Ayres; but it
would be a very serious loss.
Mr. Hardy had been alone with Mr. Percy when the conversation took
place; but he determined at once to take the boys into his entire
confidence. He therefore called to them to come out for a stroll
down to the dam, and told them word for word what Mr. Percy had
related to him.
Charley's eyes brightened at the thought of the excitement of a
fight with Indians, for which when in England, eighteen months
before, he had longed; and his fingers tightened upon his gun as he
said, "All right, papa, let them come.
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