Roughriders of the Pampas: A Tale of Ranch Life in South America

by F. S. Brereton

"We shall do more," said Mr. Blunt briskly. "The young señor proposes that we call in our neighbors, and that we follow a hundred and more miles if necessary, till we come up with the raiders, and destroy them and their villages. What do you think of that plan?"

The sturdy gaucho opened his eyes very wide at the news, for never before had such a suggestion been made. Indeed, as the reader will have already gathered, the owners of the ranchos and their gauchos had hitherto been satisfied if all their beasts were not taken. Retaliation was as a rule out of the question, while the Indian country was practically unexplored, and was supposed to be wild and waterless, and to offer great danger to those who did not know it. Pietro had had food for reflection during the last two hours. Like Mr. Blunt, he had seen that another course was possible, for Dudley's tactics had been eminently successful. But to hear now that still more was intended—that a more vigorous and pugnacious policy was to be followed, and every effort made not only to defend the rancho against Indian attack, but to follow and punish the marauders, astounded him. He struck his overalls a sounding thwack with his whip, and stared, open-mouthed, at his master. Then his eyes turned to Dudley, and he smiled.

"This proposition," he said, "comes from the young señor?"

"It does. I have agreed to the plan and have been thinking out the details."

"Then what is good to the señor and his manager is good also to me and my comrades. If the Indians come we will enter the forts and hold them. Afterwards we will go with our masters and do our utmost to slay every one of the ruffians. Then shall we be able to ranch in peace and security. We and our wives shall no longer be in dread of a sudden night attack, of torture, and of a violent death. The señor goes now and wishes me to look after the rancho?"

"That is so. We shall be gone for two weeks, perhaps, and in that time there need be no fear of the Indians. It will take us six months to build our forts, and by then perhaps the enemy will have recovered from their beating, and will be considering another attack. Now, Pietro, you will go to the men and tell them what you have heard. Let them know that the plan is the young señor's, and that I fully agree with it."

The sturdy gaucho went off, flicking his whip, and Dudley and his employer watched the active fellow walk up to his horse, which stood out by the well with the reins dangling loosely on its neck. He seemed to kick the ground with his feet and in a moment was in the saddle. No need for Pietro to wait to get his stirrups. The horse bounded off, the whip cracked like a pistol, and the foreman of the gauchos raced away like the wind, eager to tell his tale and let all know what was about to happen.

"Now we will pack our valises and go," said Mr. Blunt. "Pepito will accompany us to the port and will return with the horses. I shall give him orders to bring them again within two weeks, for our business will take us quite a week and the rest of the time will be spent on the river. As we sail down stream we will go carefully into this matter, and draw up a list of articles which will be required."

Within half an hour the two were mounted and riding from the rancho, while Pepito, his dusky face aglow with pride, sat a beautiful horse just behind them. Across the pommel of his saddle was slung the coil of his bolas, while the barrel of his rifle stuck up clear behind his head, for he had slung the weapon. A gallant and handsome fellow he looked, too, for this Pepito was barely twenty-three, and as fine a specimen of the gaucho cowboy as could be met with. He was tall, slim, and extremely active. He sat his horse as if he had been born in the saddle, his knees close in, his toes just engaging the stirrups, and the whole poise of his body denoting comfort and ease. And yet he sat on a horse which barely four weeks before had been rounded up from a herd of wild horses grazing out on the pampas, a big, handsome gray which danced from side to side as they rode, tossing its head, and clanking its bit, while every rolling leaf, every shadow or reflection of the sun sent it shying to one side, or prancing till its fore feet pawed the air; and its rider sat a saddle which gave little or no support.

Dudley and his employer, too, made a handsome picture as they rode side by side. They sat their saddles with that easy grace which comes to men who ride every day and for a great part of the day. No longer did the huge spurs which were strapped to Dudley's heels trouble him. He hardly knew that they were there, for practice does wonders.