confidence. He therefore called to them to come out for a stroll down to
the dam, and told them word for word what Mr. Percy had related to him.

Charley's eyes brightened at the thought of the excitement of a fight
with Indians, for which when in England, eighteen months before, he had
longed; and his fingers tightened upon his gun as he said, 'All right,
papa, let them come.' Hubert's face grew a little paler, for he was not
naturally of so plucky or pugnacious a disposition as his brother.
However, he only said, 'Well, papa, if they do come, we shall all do our
best.'

'I am sure you will, my boy,' said his father kindly. 'But there is no
fear if it comes to fighting. We three, with our arms, can thrash a
hundred of them. What I am thinking of is our cattle, and not ourselves.
We will take good care against a sudden surprise; and it's more than a
whole tribe could do, to take Mount Pleasant if we are prepared.'

'Do you mean to tell mamma and the girls, papa?'

'I mean to tell them that it is necessary for a time to be on their
guard, that the girls are on no account to venture to ride out alone,
and that they must not stir out of the enclosure even as far as the
hen-house, without first of all going up to the top of the lookout to
see that all is clear. We must see that, in future, the sheep and cattle
and horses are all driven at night into their wire enclosures,--we have
not been very particular about the cattle lately,--and that the gates
are fastened and padlocked at night. It will puzzle them to get them
out. Our own three horses I will have in future kept within our own
enclosure, so that they may be always at hand, night or day. I bought
them with a special eye to Indians; they are all remarkably fast; and
whether we run away or pursue, can be relied on. And now, boys, come up
to the house, and I will open the mysterious box.'

The box of which Mr. Hardy spoke was a long case, which had never been
opened since their arrival. No entreaties of his children could induce
Mr. Hardy to say what were its contents, and the young ones had often
wondered and puzzled over what they could be. It had come, therefore, to
be known in the family as the mysterious box.

With greatly excited curiosity the boys now walked towards the house;
but there was a slight delay, for as they approached, Maud and Ethel
came running to meet them.

'Is anything the matter with the dam, papa? We have been watching you
having such a l