If you will go up to the house to
them, I will be up directly, but there are a few things to see about
first. Lopez," he went on, "carry out what I told you before:
get the men in from the plows and see all secured. Tell them to
hurry, for it will be dark soon. Kill a couple of sheep and bring
them up to the house; we shall be a large party, and it may be
wanted. Then let the peons all have supper. Come up to the house in
an hour for instructions. See yourself that the dogs are fastened
down by the cattle. Terence, take your place on the lookout, and
fire a gun if you see any one moving."
Having seen that his various orders were obeyed, Charley went up to
the house. He found the whole party assembled in the sitting-room.
Maud and Ethel had quite recovered, although both looked pale. Mrs.
Hardy, absorbed in her attention to them, had fortunately heard
nothing of her husband's danger until the firing from above,
followed by a shout of triumph, told her that any danger there was
had been defeated.
"Now, papa," Charley said, "you give us your account first."
"I have not much to tell, Charley. Fitzgerald and I had ridden out
some distance--five miles, I should say--when the dogs stopped at a
thicket and put out a lion. Fitzgerald and I both fired with our
left-hand barrels, which were loaded with ball.
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