No sooner did the Indians catch sight of the approaching cavalcade, than
they hastened to meet it with loud cries of welcome. But these
rejoicings were turned to anger when they learnt of the danger that had
threatened their baby Cacique. As may be imagined, both Graviel, and
those who had been instrumental in saving her from, and defending her
against the Cristianos, came in for an extra share of applause and
congratulation from the large body of Indians that thronged around their
Queen. Graviel was at once carried off by his mother and relations to be
carefully attended to. He was loth to leave his little charge’s side,
and only consented to do so, on receiving strict orders from Aniwee to
that effect.
Meanwhile La Guardia Chica, under the superintendence of Blancha, was
carried to the chief toldo, and most of the warriors dispersed to their
various tolderias to doff their gay war attires for the every-day
habiliments of Araucanians, while Aniwee issued orders for the saddling
and bridling of eight of her most wary-footed and renowned hunting
steeds for the use of herself and her white friends.
“Will the white Caciques be ready to set off at short notice?” she
inquired of Topsie, who was nearest to her.
“Most certainly, Aniwee,” replied this latter with alacrity. “We shall
be ready whenever you are, and are all excitement and eagerness to see
how the Araucanians hunt the baguales.”
“Aniwee remembers the two baguales which the Caciques captured in
Patagonia,” continued the Queen. “Are they still alive?”
“Yes, Aniwee, alive and flourishing. I and my brother sent them across
the sea to our own country; but the Araucanians capture them differently
to what we did, I suppose?”
“You shall see,” remarked Aniwee briefly, “and you shall take part in
the hunt. I will arrange for twenty-five of our best hunters to
accompany me. You will all be provided with horses of my own, skilled in
the chase and wary-footed, which know their business well. Meanwhile,
yonder tall tolderias on either side of the chief one, are the two
reserved for the white Caciques. You may wish to visit them ere setting
out on the hunt. Has Aniwee spoken well?”
The question having been answered in the affirmative, every one repaired
to their different quarters to make ready for the hunt.
“I think, young people, that I will remain behind,” remarked Lady Vane a
little later on. “I have got a bit of a headache, and am somewhat tired.
I think I shall rest for an hour, and then unpack the baggage panniers,
get out the trinkets, and put everything straight in the toldos against
your return. Topsie, dear, you can explain it to the Queen.”
“All right, Aunt Ruby. I see her coming now,” answered Topsie, and as
she spoke Aniwee and her hunters rode up.
There were twenty men and five women amongst these hunters, all mounted
on wiry-looking horses, and provided with stout lassoes and bolases.
They each carried, in addition, a revolver and a short sharp knife, but
no other arms, about half-a-dozen powerful-looking hounds accompanying
them.
Our young friends, as well as Sir Francis, decided on taking their
rifles; there was no knowing that they might not come in useful, they
declared. And when they had mounted their well-bred, strong little
steeds, they found that to each of their saddles was attached, not only
a light lasso, but a pair of bolas as well.
“Oh, what fun!” exclaimed Willie in a delighted voice, as he found
himself fully equipped for the fray. “I feel every inch an Araucanian
hunter, don’t you, Mary?”
“I mean to have a good try to catch a horse to-day,” answered the girl,
with a laugh; “though I can’t say I feel the adept that you profess to
do, brother mine. However, have a care. Pride cometh before a fall. You
know that, I suppose?”
They started, a gay party. The sun was shining brightly, the apple
groves looked green, cool, and inviting. Far away wooded heights arose.
These were the forests of araucarias, wherein abounded the luscious
piñones so esteemed by the Indians; and high above these shady retreats
dazzled the snowy Andes, resplendent in their robes of untrodden virgin
snow. The spirits of our young friends were at their highest. They
laughed and jabbered away at their fastest, Harry bubbling over with fun
and mischief unquenchable. In vain his cousins and sister strove to
suppress him. The happy young midshipman refused to be repressed.
They must have been riding for quite an hour, and had entered a large
circular plain some five or six miles in circumference, when Aniwee and
Sir Francis, who were riding about a hundred yards ahead, suddenly
halted, and the former held up her hand warningly, as though to enjoin
silence. Then indeed Harry became serious, and his mirth was at once
checked.
No sooner had Aniwee made the sign described, than she lay flat along
her horse’s neck, an attitude which was immediately imitated by all the
hunters following in the rear of the children, and these latter and Sir
Francis, perceiving their movements, were quick to imitate their dusky
friends. As for Shag, who had been bounding along beside his mistress’s
horse, he at once lowered his tail, and came quietly to heel in the rear
of her steed, no doubt noticing the like action on the part of the
Indian hounds.
“Baguales,” murmured the Indians half audibly as they rode slowly
forward to join the Queen; yet look as hard as ever they could, our
young friends could make out no sign of the wild horses, about which the
Indians appeared so confident.
“Calificura, creep forward like a snake; be wary as the doe,” whispered
the young Queen, as she signed to a big stalwart Araucanian to approach;
and the man, with a low grunt, and still lying flat along his horse,
trotted forward, and in a few minutes was out of sight.
“Lenketrou, let thy step be swift but silent, thy eye keen as the
hovering hawk,” was the next remark with which Aniwee detached another
of her followers from the group; and he too trotted forward and quickly
disappeared. In this way the Queen sent forward some fifteen hunters,
keeping around her five men, five women, and our young friends.
“I see them!” suddenly exclaimed Freddy in an excited whisper. “Look,
Harry and Topsie, a splendid herd on the port hillside. There! can’t you
see them? They seem to be moving towards the plain, and I can see some
white specks amongst them.”
“I see them!” gasped Mary. It was her first sight of a herd of wild
horses, and the thrill of excitement which rushed through her made her
feel inclined to shout for joy. She wisely, however, restrained herself,
for the slightest sound would have spoiled the anticipated sport.
The herd referred to could be plainly distinguished making its way down
the rocky face of a somewhat steep incline, difficult enough to descend,
but almost impossible of ascent on account of the roughness of the
ground. Away to the right, a deep river shut out all outlet from the
plain on that side, while straight ahead, high cliffs closed in, leaving
only a narrow gorge some fifty yards wide through which anything could
pass.
Suddenly two mounted figures could be discerned coming through the gorge
from the far side. At the sight of them Aniwee nodded her head, and
ejaculated the words “Calificura, Lenketrou.” In effect the two figures
were no other than these Indians, whom the Queen had started forward
from the hunting party, when the troop of wild horses was first
distinguished.
No sooner did they show themselves, than a number of mounted horsemen
appeared one after the other, along the left-hand ridge which looked
down on the plain below. Almost simultaneously they began to whirl
around their heads the coiled lassoes which they held in their right
hands. The next moment, a distant shout rang forth, and in less time
than it takes to tell, the herd had caught sight of the Indians, and
were careering madly across the plain in the direction of the river.
With a loud yell the horsemen on the ridge charged down the steep slope
at an amazing pace, and then Aniwee for the first time raised herself
erect in her stirrups.
Whirling her lasso round her head, the young Queen shouted the order to
charge. Full well the horses understood the signal; and almost before
they knew where they were, our young friends found themselves racing
across the plain at the top of their horses’ speed.
In their first fright, we have seen that the wild horses made straight
for the river; but apparently recollecting that there was no outlet
thence, they wheeled to the left, and bore away for the narrow gorge
where, motionless as statues, Calificura and Lenketrou awaited them.
The Indians who had descended from the ridge made every effort to cut
them off, but weight will tell. A mounted horse is no match for an
unmounted one; and although the herd had a circle to perform, where the
Indians had nothing but straight riding before them, the wild horses
won. Heading them was a magnificent black stallion, whose long mane and
tail swept grandly in the breeze.
But, lo! as he was about to enter the gorge, followed pell-mell by the
troop behind him, he suddenly halted, gave a loud warning neigh, and
stamped the ground furiously with his right forefoot. Immediately every
one of the baguales came to a standstill, and huddled together behind
their leader.
On came the Indians upon their racing steeds. The stallion raised his
head and looked all round him, but wherever he looked he saw danger, and
beheld the figures of his foes. The gorge was guarded, and behind him a
long line of mounted horsemen were bearing rapidly upon the herd.
In a moment the monarch of the plains had made up his mind. There was
but one chance of escape, one road to freedom. It was a dangerous
attempt, yet was there no other; for it was now a question of making a
supreme effort to be free, or surrendering at discretion. The game beast
chose the former.
With a defiant neigh he wheeled round and trotted towards the steep
ridge down which he and his troop had so lately descended, then breaking
into a gallop, he charged straight at the left wing of the advancing
Indians.
No sooner did Aniwee perceive his tactics, than she shouted her orders
to close into the left wing’s assistance, and putting spurs to her horse
made him literally fly along. Then our young friends perceived that the
Indians, dropping their lassoes on their saddles, were each whirling a
bolas round their heads. It was evident that they meant first to
entangle their prey, and to use the lasso afterwards.
Both Harry and Topsie were experts with the bolas, and by no means bad
lasso throwers. They therefore singled out their separate victims, and
bore down upon them.
If the whole herd had been as plucky as their leader, and had charged as
furiously against their attackers as the brave old veteran did, they
would probably have broken through the Indians and got away scot free;
but many of them became dazed and frightened by the terrific yells in
which the Araucanians indulged, and breaking away from the others, began
galloping madly about.
In a moment a score of bolases whizzed forth, and several horses and
mares became hopelessly entangled in their meshes. As they reared and
struggled to get free, the lassoes were cast about them, and the nooses
being drawn tight, the poor animals were entirely overcome.
One of these, in falling, uttered a loud scream. It was a beautiful grey
mare, and must evidently have been a favourite of the black stallion,
for the moment he heard her scream he halted, and wheeling round charged
back to her rescue.
The quick eye of Topsie caught sight of him approaching. She had just
bolased a horse which was struggling on the ground, but her lasso was
still free. As the furious animal galloped forward, she whirled it round
her head, and with a grand cast landed the noose right over his ears. A
skilful jerk made it safe round his neck, and Topsie, double notching
the other end round the bent stern of her saddle-bow, sat firmly
awaiting the shock.
And it was a shock with a vengeance. As the noose tightened around his
massive neck, the lord of the harem reared straight on end, and pawed
the air furiously. Coming to the ground he stood on his forefeet, and
lashed out with his hind ones. Then he threw himself down, and rolled
over and over in his anger, and finally springing up, dashed off at a
mad gallop across the plain, with Topsie holding tight to the lasso
following in his wake, while beside the girl galloped the faithful Shag.
It must have been an hour later. Several horses had been secured, and
Aniwee had despatched some of the Indians to fetch a troupiglia of tame
horses to assist in driving the wild ones in, when Harry startled every
one by exclaiming:
“I say, where’s Topsie?”
But though eyes were strained all round there was no sign of the missing
girl.
[Illustration]