' them in the caravan. But oatmeal is better, weel scalded. Na, na,
naething beats a drap parridge. Bombazo,' she said presently,'you've been
unco quiet and douce for days back, I hope you'll no show the white
feather this time and bury yoursel' in the moold like a rabbit.'

Poor Bombazo winced, and really, judging from his appearance, he had been
ill at ease for weeks back. There was no singing now, and the guitar lay
unheeded in its case.

'Do not fear for me, lady. I am burning already to see the foe.'

'Weel, Bombazo man, ye dinna look vera warlike. You're unco white about
the gills already, but wae worth the rigging o' you if ye dinna fecht. My
arm is strong to wield the auld ginghamrella yet.'

'Hush, mither, hush!' said Moncrieff.

Immediately after dinner Moncrieff beckoned to Townley, and the two left
the room and the house together.

'You think the Indians will come to-night?' said Townley, after a time.

'I know they will, and in force too.'

'Well, I feel like an idler. You, General Moncrieff, have not appointed me
any station.'

Moncrieff smiled.

'I am now going to do so,' he said, 'and it is probably the most important
position and trust on the _estancia_.'

They walked up as far as the great canal while they conversed.

Arrived there, Moncrieff pointed to what looked like a bundle of
brushwood.

'You see those branches?'

'Yes.'

'And you see that wooden lock or huge doorway?'

'I do.'

'Well, my friend, the brushwood conceals a sentry-box. It overlooks the
whole _estancia_. It conceals something else, a small barrel of gunpowder,
which you are to hang to the hook yonder on the wooden lock, and explode
the moment you have the signal.'

'And the signal will be?'

'A huge rocket sent up from either my _estancia_ house or Coila Villa.
There may be several, but you must act when you see the first. There is
fuse enough to the bomb to give you time to escape, and the bomb is big
enough to burst the lock and flood the whole ditch system in and around
the _estancia_. You are to run as soon as you fire. Further on you will
find another brushwood place of concealment. Hide there. Heaven forbid I
should endanger a hair of your head! Now you know your station!'

'I do,' said Townley, 'and thankful I am to think I can be of service in
this great emergency.'

Before dark all the most valuable portion of our stock was safely
corraled, and silence, broken only by the occasional lowing of the c