"I am giving them five minutes," he said. "When that time has gone, we will walk forward."
Snap! He closed his watch with a sharp click, and replaced it in his pocket.
"March!" he said shortly, and at once they were off, the men leaning forward expectantly, and all longing for the moment for attack to arrive. Ah! They mounted to the top of the long roll of the pampas, and there were the fires, duller now it seemed, and twinkling in the distance. They pressed on again, and very soon were within striking distance. Dudley pulled in his horse and rode round to the flank of the men.
"Party of seven move away now under Pietro," he said in low tones. "Halt till we shout, once you have gained your position. Now, boys, we will steal forward."
He placed himself at the head of the attacking party, and together they walked their horses still closer to the enemy's camp. Not a sound came from it at present, though from the herd of cattle a little to the right there came the gentle lowing of beasts and the occasional crack of a whip.
"They hear us, señor," whispered one of the gauchos. "The cattle hear sounds which we could not detect. They can tell that horses and men are about, and it makes them restless. The alarm will be sounded very soon if you do not fire your pistol. There!"
It came as he spoke. One of the figures huddled near one of the fires rose to his feet, for the lowing among the cattle had made him suspicious. He was a light sleeper, and it happened that he was suffering from an injury to his hand, which kept him awake. He peered about him, looked again at the dull patch of black where the gauchos rode, and then startled the air with his shouts.
"Awake! Rise!" he bellowed. "There are enemies close to us. The gauchos have returned. Get up and fire at them. We will kill every man who waits till we are mounted."
He dashed towards the horses, shouting as he ran. And at once some twenty figures followed him, for these Indians, from their long training to danger, were ever alert and quick to defend themselves. But numbers had eaten not only enough, but a good deal more than sufficient, and were correspondingly drowsy. Dudley's pistol shook the air before they had quite gripped the fact that there was an alarm, and they were just throwing off their blankets and rising to their feet when Pepito's party sent a withering volley into their midst.
At once there were howls of anguish and shouts of astonishment. The sluggards awakened with a vengeance, and dashed madly towards their horses, while the herd of cattle close alongside sent out many a bellow and began to sway from side to side.