"And then?"
"I should wipe them out. I should follow them a hundred miles, and even more, burn their villages, sweep in their cattle, and, in short, teach them such a lesson as they would hardly ever forget."
It was a bold suggestion, but none the less a sensible one. It was high time the ranchers on the pampas put a summary end to such persecution from the Indians. Their raids sometimes meant a very considerable loss of cattle, and very often many men were killed. It was high time indeed that a bolder policy was decided on.
"Done!" cried Mr. Blunt, bringing one of his brawny fists down on to the table. "We will do it, Dudley, and you shall organize the movement. We will go fully into the matter to-morrow, and on the following day will ride for Buenos Ayres, there to order the fittings for our forts. When they arrive, and the men are set to work, you shall ride round and see all the estancia owners within a hundred miles."
It was a bargain. The two friends—for that they were, though one was master and the other employé—gripped hands, and, having thus shown their faith in each other, went off to their couches to sleep and to prepare for the morrow.
CHAPTER X
AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION
"For the first time for many a long day I suffered from sleeplessness," said Mr. Blunt on the following morning, when he and Dudley met. "This idea of yours filled my mind so that my eyes would not close. I kept asking myself over and over again why I had been content to go on, year in and year out, suffering these Indian raids, when I might have made arrangements to call my friends after the very first raid and follow the ruffians. Then I thought of the poor gauchos who had been killed, and finally I came to the conclusion that I would not let another day pass without taking steps to carry out your plan. Now, lad, we will send for Pietro and give him his orders. Then we will mount and ride for the port. Fortunately I have business to attend to in Buenos Ayres, and shall be able to see to it and to this other matter at the same time."
According to their usual custom they went to the stables, led out their horses and watered them, afterwards feeding and grooming them. And while the beasts ate in peace, the two sat down to their own breakfast. By the time the grooming was done, Pietro was there, standing awkwardly before his employer, shuffling from one foot to the other, and grinning so that his strong white teeth shone in the morning sun.
"A fine day, master," he said in his quaint English. "A grand day. The hearts of the men are gay this morning. The master has heard the whole tale?"