For a minute or two he did not speak, and then, as the light
evidently increased, he said, almost with a groan, "It is what I
feared they would do: they have set the prairie on fire. You need
not keep watch any longer. We are as much separated from the
Indians as if the ocean divided us."
Cook gave the two short whistles agreed upon to recall the other
men on guard, and then returned with Mr. Hardy to the rest of the
party. Then Mr. Hardy roused all his companions. Every man leaped
up, rifle in hand, believing that the Indians were approaching.
"We must be up and doing," Mr. Hardy said cheerfully; "the Indians
have fired the pampas."
There was a thrill of apprehension in the bosom of many present,
who had heard terrible accounts of prairie fires, but this speedily
subsided at the calm manner of Mr. Hardy.
"The fire," he said, "may be ten miles away yet. I should say that
it was, but it is difficult to judge, for this grass does not flame
very high, and the smoke drifts between it and us. The wind,
fortunately, is light, but it will be here in little over half an
hour. Now, let the four Gauchos attend to the horses, to see they
do not stampede. The rest form a line a couple of yards apart, and
pull up the grass by the roots, throwing it behind them, so as to
leave the ground clear.
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