What are we to
do now?"
"Ride on straight for home. We need not trouble about the animals;
they won't stop till they are back. We must go easily, for our
horses have done a very long day's work already. They have been
between fifty and sixty miles. I think that we had better ride on
for another hour. By that time the moon will be up, and we shall be
able to see for miles across the plain. Then we will halt till
daybreak--it will only be three hours--and the horses will be able
to carry us in at a canter afterward."
And so it was done. In an hour the moon was fairly up, and,
choosing a rise whence a clear view could be obtained, the horses
were allowed to feed, and Mr. Hardy and Hubert lay down to sleep,
Charley taking the post of sentry, with orders to wake the others
at daybreak.
The day was just dawning when he aroused them. "Wake up, papa.
There are some figures coming over the plain."
Mr. Hardy and Hubert were on their feet in an instant. "Where,
Charley?"
"From the north, papa. They must have passed us in their pursuit of
the cattle, and are now returning--empty-handed, anyhow; for there
are only seven or eight of them, and they are driving nothing
before them."
By this time all three were in the saddle again.
"Shall we attack them, papa?"
"No, boys; we have given them quite a severe lesson enough.
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