"You dropped them? How?"
Dudley was amazed, for he had seen none of his friends.
"We might have remained on our horses, señor. But then we knew that you could reach the rancho before the enemy, and even if you could not we could hardly help you, for you were within a mile before our lookout gave the alarm. There is a small hollow on our left, and there we placed our horses on their sides, and lay in wait for the Indians, guessing that you would pass near at hand. It was as well for the señor that we were there, for Giono would have committed murder."
"Then I have to thank you for a good deal more than the water," said Dudley gratefully. "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. But were you not saying something about moving?"
"Bueno, señor! These demons are collecting away yonder, and our men say that there are three or four hundred. It would be as well to retire on the house shortly, for all are mounted, and could easily surround us. When the señor is himself again we will ride on."
"I am ready now," came the answer. "First tell me how many gauchos there are here."
"Forty, señor, and men have ridden off to tell the others to retire on the house."
"One moment, Pietro! They have orders to go, and I see them mounting; they have not left yet."
It was the tall gaucho who interposed, and at once Dudley took advantage of his information.
"Send them here immediately," he commanded, and in a voice which the gauchos were fully accustomed to, for quite unconsciously this young Englishman had acquired an air of authority since Mr. Blunt had given him the management. "Now, I want to ask a question. What becomes of our master's cattle if we retire?"