“I tell you what, Freddy,” put in Harry, struggling to repress his laughter, “if you insult my charming sister I’ll sit on you, and squash you as flat as a pancake. Remember who I am, and who you are. Why, you are a mere fledgeling, aspiring to enter the army, while I am a full-blown officer in Her Majesty’s service.”
How this passage of arms might have ended I do not pretend to be able to say, but it was rudely interrupted by the entrance of Willie and Mary.
“Lazies!” cried this latter. “Why, I and Willie have been for ever such a long ramble, and we had a splendid swim in the Rio Limay far away below. We have seen the sun rise on those glorious Andes, and come across all sorts of funny and strange things. Oh, Topsie! I just do call this Paradise.”
“Well, did I not tell you how nice it was, miss?” put in Harry, “and you would not believe me. Now you see I am always right. But I say, Freddy, come on, old chap, and we’ll go and have a plunge. I’ll just ask Uncle Francis if he will come.”
“And I will ask Aunt Ruby,” put in Topsie, as she made for the tent’s entrance. “Come on, Shag, old boy.”
For Shag had risen and shaken himself demurely the moment he saw that it was his beloved mistress’s intention to leave the tent. He was just a little stiff after his long gallop of the day before, but that was no reason in Shag’s honest mind for taking him away from his mistress’s side.
On returning to the toldos about an hour and a half later, our white friends found a great bustle going on in the camp. Horses were being caught and saddled, the flock of sheep and herd of cattle were being driven in, and preparations for departure evidently being indulged in on an extensive scale.
“Ah! I see it is to be a case of forward to-day,” remarked Topsie in a pleased voice. “Now for a dash into the unknown.”
“But, Topsie, we must not forget to arrange with Aniwee for an expedition to the great gold mine of Or, which you know is the principal object of our presence here,” interposed Sir Francis. “Will you speak to her, or shall I?”
“Well, I think you had better let me do so, uncle,” answered his niece. “Aniwee is not superstitious to the same extent as are the Patagonians and Araucanians, still, you know, she will have to overcome these latter’s prejudices if she is to accompany us.”