"And what of the attack on the estancia?" his lieutenant ventured to ask. "You will make that at once?"
"Not till these men are taken," was the short answer. "I have none to spare for a raid on the estancia. Wait a little, amico. When the dawn comes you will see that we shall be successful."
Even the astute Antonio could not think of everything, for had he been able to do so he would have seen at once that he still had the game in his own hands. He had captured the horses belonging to Dudley's party, and had some sixty men. Had he been the energetic and clever leader which he, in his vanity, fancied himself to be, he would have left only a few of his men in the forest, just sufficient to hold Dudley with their fire, and would have spurred straight for Mr. Blunt's estancia. Once he had raided the place successfully, what did it matter if this small party of stubborn men escaped him? Supposing they discovered that he had withdrawn a number of his following, they were still without their horses, and long before they could secure them Mr. Blunt and the estancia he held would have been attacked. True, other owners would soon know that it was from Antonio Sarvisti's estancia that the raids came, but then he, Antonio Sarvisti, could move to another part of the pampas.
"For years now I have been following this man Blunt," he said to himself, as he sheltered behind a tree. "I and my brothers slew his wife, and would have killed him had we had fortune. What matters it to me if all hereabout know that I hold a gang of raiders on my place, provided I carry out the end of this vendetta? The Englishman came to Sicily when he was not wanted. He married our cousin against our will, and flouted us when we would have prevented him. He made little of the quarrel which had even then existed for some years between the two families, and for that reason he was marked for death. He shall die! I, Antonio Sarvisti, have sworn it. As soon as I have dealt with this beggarly youngster I will ride to the estancia and burn the house. Yes, I will toss this man into his own flaring dwelling."
The darkness of the night and the deep shadows cast by the trees hid the ruffian's snarling features; but darkness did not cloak the sound of his voice, for he had spoken aloud. Indeed Dudley and his comrades could hear someone speaking, faintly, it is true, but sufficiently clear to give them the direction from which the sound came. It was Harold who calmly raised his rifle, held the muzzle low, and sent a shot swishing past the tree behind which the rascally leader of this band of robbers sheltered.
"Ah! Not frightened into surrender yet?" cried Antonio, shaking his fist with rage. "You shall see. I will teach you when the morning comes."
He stared out from behind the trunk of the tree, only to withdraw somewhat hastily, for Harold had reloaded, and a moment later sent another shot thudding against the tree, a second reminder to Antonio Sarvisti that matters were not so desperate for the small party hemmed in by the circle which he had drawn about them.
"Sixty was the number of the men he said he had with him," said Dudley a moment later. "Do you consider that he has as many as he says?"
He swung round to Pepito, who at that moment was engaged in fastening a long scarf about his wounded limb. The gaucho dropped the ends at once, stared out into the trees, and then nodded.
"He has as many, señor," he said with emphasis. "A ruffian out on the pampas can have as many men as he desires. This fellow has sixty, if he said so, and if I had been in command those men would long ago have rushed forward and made a capture. It is a good sign. Ruffians are often cowards. They fear to attack us. They wait for the dawn, when they hope to be able to shoot us down. Were I one of them, and the plan that you speak of had been formed, I would leave a few in the trees to fire, and make it appear that there were many, while I sent off the bigger half to raid the estancia."