waited to hear Dugald's story before he had summoned Yambo, and bade him
get ready with five trusty Gauchos to accompany them to the hills.

'Guns, senor?'

'Ay, guns, Yambo, and the other dog. We may have to draw a trigger or two.
Sharp is the word, Yambo!'

In two hours more, and just as the winter's sun was at its highest, we all
reached the cactus near the old monastic ruin. Here a spear flew close
past Moncrieff's head. A quick, fierce glance of anger shot from the eyes
of this buirdly Scot. He called a dog, and in a moment more disappeared in
the jungle. A minute after there was the sharp ring of a revolver, a
shriek, a second shot, and all was still. Presently Moncrieff rode back,
looking grim, but calm and self-possessed.

There was no one near the ruin when we advanced, but the Indians had been
here. The grave was a grave no longer in shape, but a huge hole.

'Set to work, Yambo, with your men. They have saved us trouble. Dugald and
Archie and Donald, take three men and the dogs and scour the bush round
here. Then place sentinels about, and post yourselves on top of the red
dune.'

Yambo and his men set to work in earnest, and laboured untiringly for
hours and hours, but without finding anything. A halt was called at last
for rest and refreshment; then the work was commenced with greater heart
than ever.

I had ridden away to the red dune to carry food to my brothers and the
dogs and the sentinels.

The day was beginning already to draw to a close. The sky all above was
blue and clear, but along the horizon lay a bank of grey rolling clouds,
that soon would be changed to crimson and gold by the rays of the setting
sun. Hawks were poised high in the air, and flocks of kites were slowly
winging their way to the eastward.

From our position on the summit of the red dune we had a most extended
view on all sides. We could even see the tall waving poplars of our own
_estancias_, and away westward a vast rolling prairie of pampa land,
bounded by the distant _sierras_. My eyes were directed to one level and
snow-white patch in the plain, which might have been about three square
miles in extent, when suddenly out from behind some dunes that lay beyond
rode a party of horsemen. We could tell at a glance they were Indians, and
that they were coming as fast as fleet horses could carry them, straight
for the hill on which we stood. There was not a moment to lose, so,
leaping to the back of my mule, I hurried awa