"
"Not at all, Terence; you are to retire at once to the house. When
we are once all together we shall be able to decide, according to
the number of the enemy, as to whether we shall sally out and
pepper them, or stand upon the defensive."
And so, every one having received their instructions in case of
emergency, things went on pretty much as before.
CHAPTER X.
THE LOST CATTLE.
A fortnight passed without the slightest incident or alarm. The
rules which Mr. Hardy had laid down were strictly observed. The
sheep and cattle were carefully secured at night; two or three of
the native dogs were fastened up, down at the fold; one of the
mastiffs was kept at the men's hut, while the other's kennel was
placed by the house; the retrievers, as usual, sleeping indoors. A
flagstaff was erected upon the lookout, with a red flag in
readiness to be run up to summon those who might be away on the
plain, and a gun was kept loaded to call attention to the signal.
The boys, when they went out for their rides, carried their
carbines instead of their guns. The girls fulfilled the duties of
lookouts, going up every half-hour from daybreak to dusk; and the
call of "Sister Anne, do you see horsemen?" was invariably answered
in the negative. One day, however, Mr.
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