e, but I cannot say where they may go to
afterwards, for they had to look for four or five of the cattle that had
strayed away."

"I can slip out from the window in the men's room and get into the bush
and work round to the clearing, Wilfrid, and fire three shots there;
that would bring them to me at once. You see, the natives couldn't cross
the clearing here without your having them under your gun."

"No, Marion," Wilfrid said decidedly; "that is not to be thought of. If
they saw you going they could work up through the bush on their side to
the top of the clearing, and then follow you. No; I think I will fire
the three shots. We have talked it over several times, you know, and the
Grimstones have been told that if they heard the alarm they must make
their way cautiously to the top of the clearing and see what is going on
before they venture to make for the house. As soon as I see them I can
shout to them to keep to the bush on their left till they get opposite
the house. Everything is so still that one can hear a shout a long way,
and I feel sure I could make them understand as far off as the end of
the clearing. It isn't as if we were sure that these fellows were still
hanging about ready to attack us; the probabilities are all the other
way. They would have murdered us if they could have taken us by
surprise, but that is a different thing altogether to making an attack
now they know we are armed and ready."

Taking three of the rifles, Wilfrid opened one of the shutters at the
back of the house and fired them, with an interval of about five seconds
between each shot, then he stood at the window and watched the upper
end of the glade. "Dear me!" he exclaimed suddenly, "I am sorry we
fired."

"Why?" Marion asked in surprise.

"Because Mr. Atherton is sure to hear it if he is at home, and will come
hurrying over; and if these fellows are still there he may come right
into the middle of them."

"I do not think he would do that, Wilfrid," Marion said, after thinking
for a moment or two. "Mr. Atherton is not like the Grimstones. He has
been in all sorts of adventures, and though I am sure he will come to
our help as soon as he can, I think he would take every precaution. He
would know that the natives will be likely to come from above, and
therefore be between him and us, and would come along carefully so as
not to be surprised."

"I hope so, I am sure," Wilfrid said; "for he is an awfully good fellow.
Still, as