the fight with urrea
morning came. up rose the sun, pouring a brilliant light over the desolate plains. beads of water from the rain the night before sparkled a little while and then dried up. but the day was cold, nevertheless, and a sharp wind now began to search for the weakest point of every one. ned, obed and the panther were up betimes, but some of the rescued still slept.
ned, at the suggestion of the panther, mounted one of the horses and rode out on the plain a half mile to the south. those keen eyes of his were becoming all the keener from life upon the vast rolling plains. but no matter how he searched the horizon he saw only a lonesome cactus or two shivering in the wind. when he returned with his report the redoubtable panther said:
"then we'll just take our time. the pursuit's goin' to come, but since it ain't in sight we'll brace up these new friends of ours with hot coffee an' vittles. i guess we've got coffee enough left for all."
they lighted the fire anew and soon pleasant odors arose. the rescued prisoners ate and drank hungrily, and mr. roylston was able to limp a little. now that ned saw him in the full daylight he understood more clearly than ever that this was indeed a most uncommon man. the brow and eyes belonged to one who thought, planned and organized. he spoke little and made no complaint, but when he looked at ned he said:
"you are young, my boy, to live among such dangers. why do you not go north into the states where life is safe?"
"there are others as young as i, or younger, who have fought or will fight for texas," said ned. "i belong here and i've got powerful friends. two of them have saved my life more than once and are likely to do so again."
he nodded toward obed and the panther, who were too far away to hear. roylston smiled. the two men were in singular contrast, but each was striking in his way. obed, of great height and very thin, but exceedingly strong, was like a steel lath. the panther, huge in every aspect, reminded one, in his size and strength, of a buffalo bull.
"they are uncommon men, no doubt," said roylston. "and you expect to remain with them?"
"i'd never leave them while this war lasts! not under any circumstances!"
ned spoke with great energy, and again roylston smiled, but he said no more.
"it's time to start," said the panther.
roylston again mounted one of the horses. ned saw that it hurt his pride to have to ride, but he saw also that he would not complain when complaints availed nothing. he felt an increasing interest in a man who seemed to have perfect command over himself.
the boy, will allen, was fresh and strong again. his youthful frame had recovered completely from all hardships, and now that he was free, armed, and in the company of true friends his face glowed with pleasure and enthusiasm. he was tall and strong, and now he carried a good rifle with a pistol also in his belt. he and ned walked side by side, and each rejoiced in the companionship of one of his own age.
"how long have you been with them?" asked will, looking at obed and the panther.
"i was first with obed away down in mexico. we were prisoners together in the submarine dungeon of san juan de ulua. i'd never have escaped without him. and i'd never have escaped a lot more things without him, either. then we met the panther. he's the greatest frontiersman in all the southwest, and we three somehow have become hooked together."
will looked at ned a little enviously.
"what comrades you three must be!" he said. "i have nobody."
"are you going to fight for texas?"
"i count on doing so."
"then why don't you join us, and we three will turn into four?"
will looked at ned, and his eyes glistened.
"do you mean that?" he asked.
"do i mean it? i think i do. ho, there, panther! you and obed, just a minute or two!"
the two turned back. ned and will were walking at the rear of the little company.
"i've asked will to be one of us," said ned, "to join our band and to share our fortunes, good or bad."
"can he make all the signs, an' has he rid the goat?" asked the panther solemnly.
"does he hereby swear never to tell any secret of ours to mexican or indian?" asked obed. "does he swear to obey all our laws and by-laws wherever he may be, and whenever he is put to the test?"
"he swears to everything," replied ned, "and i know that he is the kind to make a trusty comrade to the death."
"then you are declared this minute a member of our company in good standin'," said the panther to will, "an' with this grip i give you welcome."
he crushed the boy's hand in a mighty grasp that made him wince, and obed followed with one that was almost equally severe. but the boy did not mind the physical pain. instead, his soul was uplifted. he was now the chosen comrade of these three paladins, and he was no longer alone in the world. but he merely said:
"i'll try to show myself worthy."
they were compelled to stop at noon for rather a long rest, as walking was tiresome. fields, who was a good scout, went back and looked for pursuers, but announced that he saw none, and, after an hour, they started again.
"i'm thinkin'," said the panther, "that urrea has already organized the pursuit. mebbe he has pow'ful glasses an' kin see us when we can't see him. he may mean to attack to-night. it's a lucky thing for us that we can find timber now an' then."
"it's likely that you're right about to-night," said obed, "but there's no night so dark that it doesn't have its silver lining. i guess everybody in this little crowd is a good shot, unless maybe it's mr. roylston, and as we have about three guns apiece we can make it mighty hot for any force that urrea may bring against us."
they began now to search for timber, looking especially for some clump of trees that also inclosed water. they did not anticipate any great difficulty in regard to the water, as the winter season and the heavy rains had filled the dry creek beds, and had sent torrents down the arroyos. before dark they found a stream about a foot deep running over sand between banks seven or eight feet high toward the rio grande. a mile further on a small grove of myrtle oaks and pecans grew on its left bank, and there they made their camp.
feeling that they must rely upon their valor and watchfulness, and not upon secrecy, they built a fire, and ate a good supper. then they put out the fire and half of them remained on guard, the other half going to sleep, except roylston, who sat with his back to a tree, his injured legs resting upon a bed of leaves which the boys had raked up for him. he had been riding old jack and the horse had seemed to take to him, but after the stop ned himself had looked after his mount.
the boy allowed old jack to graze a while, and then he tethered him in the thickest of the woods just behind the sleeping man. he wished the horse to be as safe as possible in case bullets should be flying, and he could find no better place for him. but before going he stroked his nose and whispered in his ear.
"good old jack! brave fellow!" he said. "we are going to have troublous times, you and i, along with the others, but i think we are going to ride through them safely."
the horse whinnied ever so softly, and nuzzled ned's arm. the understanding between them was complete. then ned left him, intending to take a position by the bank of the creek as he was on the early watch. on the way he passed roylston, who regarded him attentively.
"i judge that your leader, mr. palmer, whom you generally call the panther, is expecting an attack," said the merchant.
"he's the kind of man who tries to provide for everything," replied ned.
"of course, then," said roylston, "he provides for the creek bed. the mexican skirmishers can come up it and yet be protected by its banks."
"that is so," said the panther, who had approached as he was speaking. "it's the one place that we've got to watch most, an' ned an' me are goin' to sit there on the banks, always lookin'. i see that you've got the eye of a general, mr. roylston."
the merchant smiled.
"i'm afraid i don't count for much in battle," he said, "and least of all hampered as i am now. but if the worst comes to the worst i can sit here with my back to this tree and shoot. if you will kindly give me a rifle and ammunition i shall be ready for the emergency."
"but it is your time to sleep, mr. roylston," said the panther.
"i don't think i can sleep, and as i cannot i might as well be of use."
the panther brought him the rifle, powder and bullets, and roylston, leaning against the tree, rifle across his knees, watched with bright eyes. sentinels were placed at the edge of the grove, but the panther and ned, as arranged, were on the high bank overlooking the bed of the creek. now and then they walked back and forth, meeting at intervals, but most of the time each kept to his own particular part of the ground.
ned found an oak, blown down on the bank by some hurricane, and as there was a comfortable seat on a bough with the trunk as a rest for his back he remained there a long time. but his ease did not cause him to relax his vigilance. he was looking toward the north, and he could see two hundred yards or more up the creek bed to a point where it curved. the bed itself was about thirty feet wide, although the water did not have a width of more than ten feet.
everything was now quite dry, as the wind had been blowing all day. but the breeze had died with the night, and the camp was so still that ned could hear the faint trickle of the water over the sand. it was a fair night, with a cold moon and cold stars looking down. the air was full of chill, and ned began to walk up and down again in order to keep warm. he noticed roylston still sitting with eyes wide open and the rifle across his lap.
as ned came near in his walk the merchant turned his bright eyes upon him.
"i hear," he said, "that you have seen santa anna."
"more than once. several times when i was a prisoner in mexico, and again when i was recaptured."
"what do you think of him?"
the gaze of the bright eyes fixed upon ned became intense and concentrated.
"a great man! a wickedly great man!"
roylston turned his look away, and interlaced his fingers thoughtfully.
"a good description, i think," he said. "you have chosen your words well. a singular compound is this mexican, a mixture of greatness, vanity and evil. i may talk to you more of him some day. but i tell you now that i am particularly desirous of not being carried a prisoner to him."
he lifted the rifle, put its stock to his shoulder, and drew a bead.
"i think i could hit at forty or fifty yards in this good moonlight," he said.
he replaced the rifle across his knees and sighed. ned was curious, but he would not ask questions, and he walked back to his old position by the bank. here he made himself easy, and kept his eyes on the deep trench that had been cut by the stream. the shadows were dark against the bank, but it seemed to him that they were darker than they had been before.
ned's blood turned a little colder, and his scalp tingled. he was startled but not afraid. he looked intently, and saw moving figures in the river bed, keeping close against the bank. he could not see faces, he could not even discern a clear outline of the figures, but he had no doubt that these were urrea's mexicans. he waited only a moment longer to assure himself that the dark moving line was fact and not fancy. then, aiming his rifle at the foremost shape, he fired. while the echo of the sharp crack was yet speeding across the plain he cried:
"up, men! up! urrea is here!"
a volley came from the creek bed, but in an instant the panther, obed, will and fields were by ned's side.
"down on your faces," cried the panther, "an' pot 'em as they run! so they thought to go aroun' the grove, come down from the north an' surprise us this way! give it to 'em, boys!"
the rifles flashed and the dark line in the bed of the creek now broke into a huddle of flying forms. three fell, but the rest ran, splashing through the sand and water, until they turned the curve and were protected from the deadly bullets. then the panther, calling to the others, rushed to the other side of the grove, where a second attack, led by urrea in person, had been begun. here men on horseback charged directly at the wood, but they were met by a fire which emptied more than one saddle.
much of the charge was a blur to ned, a medley of fire and smoke, of beating hoofs and of cries. but one thing he saw clearly and never forgot. it was the lame man with the thick white hair sitting with his back against a tree calmly firing a rifle at the mexicans. roylston had time for only two shots, but when he reloaded the second time he placed the rifle across his knees as before and smiled.
most mexican troops would have been content with a single charge, but these returned, encouraged by shouts and driven on by fierce commands. ned saw a figure waving a sword. he believed it to be urrea, and he fired, but he missed, and the next moment the horseman was lost in the shadows.
the second charge was beaten back like the first, and several skirmishers who tried to come anew down the bed of the creek were also put to flight. two mexicans got into the thickets and tried to stampede the horses, but the quickness of obed and fields defeated their aim. one of the mexicans fell there, but the other escaped in the darkness.
when the second charge was driven back and the horses were quieted the panther and obed threshed up the woods, lest some mexican musketeer should lie hidden there.
nobody slept any more that night. ned, will and the panther kept a sharp watch upon the bed of the creek, the moon and stars fortunately aiding them. but the mexicans did not venture again by that perilous road, although toward morning they opened a scattering fire from the plain, many of their bullets whistling at random among the trees and thickets. some of the texans, crawling to the edge of the wood, replied, but they seemed to have little chance for a good shot, as the mexicans lay behind a swell. the besiegers grew tired after a while and silence came again.
three of the texans had suffered slight wounds, but the panther and fields bound them up skillfully. it was still light enough for these tasks. fields was particularly jubilant over their success, as he had a right to be. the day before he could look forward only to his own execution. now he was free and victorious. exultantly he hummed:
you've heard, i s'pose, of new orleans, it's famed for youth and beauty; there are girls of every hue, it seems, from snowy white to sooty. now packenham has made his brags, if he that day was lucky, he'd have the girls and cotton bags in spite of old kentucky.
but jackson, he was wide awake, and was not scared at trifles, for well he knew kentucky's boys, with their death-dealing rifles. he led them down to cypress swamp, the ground was low and mucky; there stood john bull in martial pomp, and here stood old kentucky.
"pretty good song, that of yours," said the panther approvingly. "where did you get it?"
"from my father," replied fields. "he's a kentuckian, an' he fit at new orleans. he was always hummin' that song, an' it come back to me after we drove off the mexicans. struck me that it was right timely."
ned and will, on their own initiative, had been drawing all the fallen logs that they could find and move to the edge of the wood, and having finished the task they came back to the bed of the creek. roylston, the rifle across his knees, was sitting with his eyes closed, but he opened them as they approached. they were uncommonly large and bright eyes, and they expressed pleasure.
"it gratifies me to see that neither of you is hurt," he said. "this has been a strange night for two who are as young as you are. and it is a strange night for me, too. i never before thought that i should be firing at any one with intent to kill. but events are often too powerful for us."
he closed his eyes again.
"i am going to sleep a little, if i can," he said.
but ned and will could not sleep. they went to ned's old position at the edge of the creek bed, and together watched the opening dawn. they saw the bright sun rise over the great plains, and the dew sparkle for a little while on the brown grass. the day was cold, but apparently it had come with peace. they saw nothing on the plain, although they had no doubt that the mexicans were waiting just beyond the first swell. but ned and will discerned three dark objects lying on the sand up the bed of the creek, and they knew that they were the men who had fallen in the first rush. ned was glad that he could not see their faces.
at the suggestion of the panther they lighted fires and had warm food and coffee again, thus putting heart into all the defenders. then the panther chose ned for a little scouting work on horseback. ned found old jack seeking blades of grass within the limits allowed by his lariat. but when the horse saw his master he stretched out his head and neighed.
"i think i understand you," said ned. "not enough food and no water. well, i'll see that you get both later, but just now we're going on a little excursion."
the panther and ned rode boldly out of the trees, and advanced a short distance upon the plain. two or three shots were fired from a point behind the first swell, but the bullets fell far short.
"i counted on that," said the panther. "if a mexican has a gun it's mighty hard for him to keep from firing it. all we wanted to do was to uncover their position an' we've done it. we'll go back now, an' wait fur them to make the first move."
but they did not go just yet. a man on horseback waving a large white handkerchief appeared on the crest of the swell and rode toward them. it was urrea.
"he knows that he can trust us, while we don't know that we can trust him," said the panther, "so we'll just wait here an' see what he has to say."
urrea, looking fresh and spirited, came on with confidence and saluted in a light easy fashion. the two americans did not return the salute, but waited gravely.
"we can be polite, even if we are enemies," said urrea, "so i say good morning to you both, former friends of mine."
"i have no friendship with spies and traitors," growled the panther.
"i serve my country in the way i think best," said urrea, "and you must remember that in our view you two are rebels and traitors."
"we don't stab in the back," said the panther.
urrea flushed through his swarthy skin.
"we will not argue the point any further," he said, "but come at once to the business before us. first, i will admit several things. your rescue of the prisoners was very clever. also you beat us off last night, but i now have a hundred men with me and we have plenty of arms. we are bound to take you sooner or later."
"then why talk to us about it?" said the panther.
"because i wish to save bloodshed."
"wa'al, then, what do you have to say?"
"give us the man, roylston, and the rest of you can go free."
"why are you so anxious to have roylston?"
ned eagerly awaited the answer. it was obvious that roylston had rather minimized his own importance. urrea flicked the mane of his mustang with a small whip and replied:
"our president and general, the illustrious santa anna, is extremely anxious to see him. secrets of state are not for me. i merely seek to do my work."
"then you take this from me," said the panther, a blunt frontiersman, "my comrades an' me ain't buyin' our lives at the price of nobody else's."
"you feel that way about it, do you?"
"that's just the way we feel, and i want to say, too, that i wouldn't take the word of either you or your santa anna. if we was to give up mr. roylston—which we don't dream of doin'—you'd be after us as hot an' strong as ever."
urrea's swarthy cheeks flushed again.
"i shall not notice your insults," he said. "they are beneath me. i am a mexican officer and gentleman, and you are mere riders of the plains."
"all the same," said the panther grimly, "if you are goin' to talk you have to talk with us."
"that is true," said urrea lightly, having regained complete control of his temper. "in war one cannot choose his enemies. i make you the proposition once more. give us roylston and go. if you do not accept we shall nevertheless take him and all of you who do not fall first. remember that you are rebels and traitors and that you will surely be shot or hanged."
"i don't remember any of them things," said the panther grimly. "what i do remember is that we are texans fightin' fur our rights. to hang a man you've first got to catch him, an' to shoot him you've first got to hit him. an' since things are to be remembered, remember that what you are tryin' to do to us we may first do to you. an' with that i reckon we'll bid you good day, mr. urrea."
urrea bowed, but said nothing. he rode back toward his men, and ned and the panther returned to the grove. roylston was much better that morning and he was able to stand, leaning against a tree.
"may i ask the result of your conference," he said.
"there ain't no secret about it," replied the panther, "but them mexicans seem to be almighty fond of you, mr. roylston."
"in what way did they show it?"
"urrea said that all of us could go if we would give up you."
"and your answer?"
the panther leaned forward a little on his horse.
"you know something about the texans, don't you, mr. roylston?"
"i have had much opportunity to observe and study them."
"well, they've got plenty of faults, but you haven't heard of them buyin' their lives at the price of a comrade's, have you?"
"i have not, but i wish to say, mr. palmer, that i'm sorry you returned this answer. i should gladly take my chances if the rest of you could go."
"we'd never think of it," said the panther. "besides, them mexicans wouldn't keep their word. they're goin' to besiege us here, hopin' maybe that starvation or thirst will make us give you up. now the first thing for us to do is to get water for the horses."
this presented a problem, as the horses could not go down to the creek, owing to the steep high banks, but the texans soon solved it. the cliff was soft and they quickly cut a smooth sloping path with their knives and hatchets. old jack was the first to walk down it and ned led him. the horse hung back a little, but ned patted his head and talked to him as a friend and equal. under such persuasion old jack finally made the venture, and when he landed safely at the bottom he drank eagerly. then the other two horses followed. meanwhile two riflemen kept a keen watch up and down the creek bed for lurking mexican sharpshooters.
but the watering of the horses was finished without incident, and they were tethered once more in the thicket. fields and another man kept a watch upon the plain, and the rest conferred under the trees. the panther announced that by a great reduction of rations the food could be made to last two days longer. it was not a cheerful statement, as the mexicans must know the scanty nature of their supplies, and would wait with all the patience of indians.
"all things, including starvation, come to him who waits long enough," said obed white soberly.
"we'll jest set the day through," said the panther, "an' see what turns up."
but the day was quite peaceful. it was warmer than usual and bright with sunshine. the mexicans appeared on some of the knolls, seemingly near in the thin clear air, but far enough away to be out of rifle shot, and began to play cards or loll on their serapes. several went to sleep.
"they mean to show us that they have all the time in the world," said ned to will, "and that they are willing to wait until we fall like ripe apples into their hands."
"do you think they will get us again?" asked will anxiously.
"i don't. we've got food for two days and i believe that something will happen in our favor within that time. do you notice, will, that it's beginning to cloud up again? in winter you can't depend upon bright sunshine to last always. i think we're going to have a dark night and it's given me an idea."
"what is it?"
"i won't tell you, because it may amount to nothing. it all depends upon what kind of night we have."
the sun did not return. the clouds banked up more heavily, and in the afternoon ned went to the panther. they talked together earnestly, looking frequently at the skies, and the faces of both expressed satisfaction. then they entered the bed of the creek and examined it critically. will was watching them. when the two separated and ned came toward him, he said:
"i can guess your idea now. we mean to escape to-night up the bed of the creek."
ned nodded.
"your first guess is good," he said. "if the promise of a dark night keeps up we're going to try."
the promise was fulfilled. the mexicans made no hostile movement throughout the afternoon, but they maintained a rigid watch.
when the sun had set and the thick night had come down the panther told of the daring enterprise they were about to undertake, and all approved. by nine o'clock the darkness was complete, and the little band gathered at the point where the path was cut down into the bed of the creek. it was likely that mexicans were on all sides of the grove, but the panther did not believe that any of them, owing to bitter experience, would enter the cut made by the stream. but, as leader, he insisted upon the least possible noise. the greatest difficulty would be with the horses. ned, at the head of old jack, led the way.
old jack made the descent without slipping and in a few minutes the entire force stood upon the sand. they had made no sound that any one could have heard thirty yards away.
"now mr. roylston," whispered the panther to the merchant, "you get on ned's horse an' we'll be off."
roylston sighed. it hurt his pride that he should be a burden, but he was a man of few words, and he mounted in silence. then they moved slowly over the soft sand. they had loaded the extra rifles and muskets on the other two horses, but every man remained thoroughly armed and ready on the instant for any emergency.
the panther and obed led. just behind them came ned and will. they went very slowly in order to keep the horses' feet from making any sound that listening mexican sentinels might hear. they were fortunate in the sand, which was fine and soundless like a carpet. ned thought that the mexicans would not make any attempt upon the grove until late at night, and then only with skirmishers and snipers. or they might not make any attempt at all, content with their cordon.
but it was thrilling work as they crept along on the soft sand in the darkness and between the high banks. ned felt a prickling of the blood. an incautious footstep or a stumble by one of the horses might bring the whole mexican force down upon them at any moment. but there was no incautious footstep. nor did any horse stumble. the silent procession moved on, passed the curve in the bed of the creek and continued its course.
urrea had surrounded the grove completely. his men were on both sides of the creek, but no sound came to them, and they had a healthy respect for the deadly texan rifles. their leader had certainly been wise in deciding to starve them out. meanwhile the little procession in the bed of the creek increased its speed slightly.
the texans were now a full four hundred yards from the grove, and their confidence was rising.
"if they don't discover our absence until morning," whispered ned to will, "we'll surely get away."
"then i hope they won't discover it until then," said will fervently. "i don't want to die in battle just now, nor do i want to be executed in mexico for a rebel or for anything else."
they were now a full mile from the grove and the banks of the creek were decreasing in height. they did not rise anywhere more than three or four feet. but the water increased in depth and the margin of sand was narrower. the panther called a halt and they listened. they heard no sound but the faint moaning of the wind among the dips and swells, and the long lone howl of a lonesome coyote.
"we've slipped through 'em! by the great horn spoon, we've slipped through 'em!" said the panther exultantly. "now, boys, we'll take to the water here to throw 'em off our track, when they try to follow it in the mornin'."
the creek was now about three feet in depth and flowing slowly like most streams in that region, but over a bed of hard sand, where the trace of a footstep would quickly vanish.
"the water is likely to be cold," said the panther, "an' if any fellow is afraid of it he can stay behind and consort with the mexicans who don't care much for water."
"lead on, macduff," said obed, "and there's nobody who will cry 'hold, enough.'"
the panther waded directly into the middle of the stream, and all the others followed. the horses, splashing the water, made some noise, but they were not so careful in that particular now since they had put a mile between themselves and the grove. in fact, the panther urged them to greater speed, careless of the sounds, and they kept in the water for a full two miles further. then they quit the stream at a point where the soil seemed least likely to leave traces of their footsteps, and stood for a little while upon the prairie, resting and shivering. then they started at a rapid pace across the country, pushing for the rio grande until noon. then fields stalked and shot an antelope, with which they renewed their supply of food. in the afternoon it rained heavily, but by dark they reached the rio grande, across which they made a dangerous passage, as the waters had risen, and stood once more on the soil of texas.
"thank god!" said will.
"thank god!" repeated ned.
then they looked for shelter, which all felt they must have.
