THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
It proved a difficult matter to find shelter. All the members of the
little group were wet and cold, and a bitter wind with snow began to
whistle once more across the plain. But every one strove to be cheerful
and the relief that their escape had brought was still a tonic to their
spirits. Yet they were not without comment upon their condition.
"I've seen hard winters in Maine," said Obed White, "but there you were
ready for them. Here it tricks you with warm sunshine and then with
snow. You suffer from surprise."
"We've got to find a cabin," said the Panther.
"Why not make it a whole city with a fine big hotel right in the center
of it?" said Obed. "Seems to me there's about as much chance of one as
the other."
"No, there ain't," said the Panther. "There ain't no town, but there are
huts. I've rid over this country for twenty year an' I know somethin'
about it. There are four or five settlers' cabins in the valleys of the
creeks runnin' down to the Rio Grande. I had a mighty good dinner at one
of 'em once. They're more'n likely to be abandoned now owin' to the war
an' their exposed situation, but if the roofs haven't fell in any of 'em
is good enough for us."
"Then you lead on," said Obed. "The quicker we get there the happier all
of us will be."
"I may not lead straight, but I'll get you there," replied the Panther
confidently.
Roylston, at his own urgent insistence, dismounted and walked a little
while. When he betook himself again to the back of Old Jack he spoke
with quiet confidence.
"I'm regaining my strength rapidly," he said. "In a week or two I shall
be as good as I ever was. Meanwhile my debt to you, already great, is
accumulating."
The Panther laughed.
"You don't owe us nothin'," he said. "Why, on this frontier it's one
man's business to help another out of a scrape. If we didn't do that we
couldn't live."
"Nevertheless, I shall try to pay it," said Roylston, in significant
tones.
"For the moment we'll think of that hut we're lookin' for," said the
Panther.
"It will be more than a hut," said Will, who was of a singularly
cheerful nature. "I can see it now. It will be a gorgeous palace. Its
name will be the Inn of the Panther. Menials in gorgeous livery will
show us to our chambers, one for every man, where we will sleep between
white sheets of the finest linen."
"I wonder if they will let us take our rifles to bed with us," said Ned,
"because in this country I don't feel that I can part with mine, even
for a moment."
"That is a mere detail which we will discuss with our host," said Obed.
"Perhaps, after you have eaten of the chicken and drunk of the wine at
this glorious Inn of the Panther, you will not be so particular about
the company of your rifle, Mr. Fulton."
The Panther uttered a cry of joy.
"I've got my b'arin's exactly now," he said. "It ain't more'n four miles
to a cabin that I know of, an' if raiders haven't smashed it it'll give
us all the shelter we want."
"Then lead us swiftly," said Obed. "There's no sunset or anything to
give me mystical lore, but the coming of that cabin casts its shadow
before, or at least I want it to do it."
The Panther's announcement brought new courage to every one and they
quickened their lagging footsteps. He led toward a dark line of timber
which now began to show through the driving snow, and when they passed
among the trees he announced once more and with exultation:
"Only a mile farther, boys, an' we'll be where the cabin stands, or
stood. Don't git your feelin's too high, 'cause it may have been wiped
off the face of the earth."
A little later he uttered another cry, and this was the most exultant of
all.
"There she is," he said, pointing ahead. "She ain't been wiped away by
nobody or nothin'. Don't you see her, that big, stout cabin ahead?"
"I do," said young Allen joyously, "and it's the Inn of the Panther as
sure as you live."
"But I don't see any smoke coming out of the chimney," said Ned, "and
there are no gorgeous menials standing on the doorstep waiting for us."
"It's been abandoned a long time," said the Panther. "I can tell that by
its looks, but I'm thinkin' that it's good enough fur us an' mighty
welcome. An' there's a shed behind the house that'll do for the horses.
Boys, we're travelin' in tall luck."
The cabin, a large one, built of logs and adobe, was certainly a
consoling sight. They had almost reached the limit of physical
endurance, but they broke into a run to reach it. The Panther and Ned
were the first to push open a heavy swinging door, and they entered side
by side. It was dry within. The solid board roof did not seem to be
damaged at all, and the floor of hard, packed earth was as dry as a bone
also. At one end were a wide stone fireplace, cold long since, and a
good chimney of mud and sticks. There were two windows, closed with
heavy clapboard shutters.
There was no furniture in the cabin except two rough wooden benches.
Evidently the original owners had prepared well for their flight, but it
was likely that no one had come since. The lonely place among the trees
had passed unobserved by raiders. The shed behind the cabin was also in
good condition, and they tethered there the horses, which were glad
enough to escape from the bitter wind and driving snow.
The whole party gathered in the cabin, and as they no longer feared
pursuit it was agreed unanimously that they must have luxury. In this
case a fire meant the greatest of all luxuries.
They gathered an abundance of fallen wood, knocked the snow from it and
heaped it on either side of the fireplace. They cut with infinite
difficulty dry shavings from the inside of the logs in the wall of the
house, and after a full hour of hard work lighted a blaze with flint and
steel. The rest was easy, and soon they had a roaring fire. They
fastened the door with the wooden bar which stood in its place and let
the windows remain shut. Although there was a lack of air, they did not
yet feel it, and gave themselves up to the luxury of the glowing heat.
They took off their clothes and held them before the fire. When they
were dry and warm they put them on again and felt like new beings.
Strips of the antelope were fried on the ends of ramrods, and they ate
plentifully. All the chill was driven from their bodies, and in its
place came a deep pervading sense of comfort. The bitter wind yet howled
without and they heard the snow driven against the door and windows.
The sound heightened their feeling of luxury. They were like a troop of
boys now, all of them--except Roylston. He sat on one of the piles of
wood and his eyes gleamed as the others talked.
"I vote that we enlarge the name of our inn," said Allen. "Since our
leader has black hair and black eyes, let's call it the Inn of the Black
Panther. All in favor of that motion say 'Aye.'"
"Aye!" they roared.
"All against it say 'no.'"
Silence.
"The Inn of the Black Panther it is," said Will, "an' it is the most
welcome inn that ever housed me."
The Panther smiled benevolently.
"I don't blame you boys for havin' a little fun," he said. "It does feel
good to be here after all that we've been through."
The joy of the Texans was irrepressible. Fields began to pat and three
or four of them danced up and down the earthen floor of the cabin. Will
watched with dancing eyes. Ned, more sober, sat by his side.
However, the highest spirits must grow calm at last, and gradually the
singing and dancing ceased. It had grown quite close in the cabin now,
and one of the window shutters was thrown open, permitting a rush of
cool, fresh air that was very welcome. Ned looked out. The wind was
still whistling and moaning, and the snow, like a white veil, hid the
trees.
The men one by one went to sleep on the floor. Obed and Fields kept
watch at the window during the first half of the night, and the Panther
and Ned relieved them for the second half. They heard nothing but the
wind, and saw nothing but the snow. Day came with a hidden sun, and the
fine snow still driven by the wind, but the Panther, a good judge of
weather, predicted a cessation of the snow within an hour.
The men awoke and rose slowly from the floor. They were somewhat stiff,
but no one had been overcome, and after a little stretching of the
muscles all the soreness disappeared. The horses were within the shed,
unharmed and warm, but hungry. They relighted the fire and broiled more
strips of the antelope, but they saw that little would be left. The
Panther turned to Roylston, who inspired respect in them all.
"Now, Mr. Roylston," he said, "we've got to agree upon some course of
action an' we've got to put it to ourselves squar'ly. I take it that all
of us want to serve Texas in one way or another, but we've got only
three horses, we're about out of food, an' we're a long distance from
the main Texas settlements. It ain't any use fur us to start to rippin'
an' t'arin' unless we've got somethin' to rip an' t'ar with."
"Good words," said Obed White. "A speech in time saves errors nine."
"I am glad you have put the question, Mr. Palmer," said Roylston. "Our
affairs have come to a crisis, and we must consider. I, too, wish to
help Texas, but I can help it more by other ways than battle."
It did not occur to any of them to doubt him. He had already established
over them the mental ascendency that comes from a great mind used to
dealing with great affairs.
"But we are practically dismounted," he continued. "It is winter and we
do not know what would happen to us if we undertook to roam over the
prairies as we are. On the other hand, we have an abundance of arms and
ammunition and a large and well-built cabin. I suggest that we supply
ourselves with food, and stay here until we can acquire suitable mounts.
We may also contrive to keep a watch upon any Mexican armies that may be
marching north. I perhaps have more reason than any of you for hastening
away, but I can spend the time profitably in regaining the use of my
limbs."
"Your little talk sounds mighty good to me," said the Panther. "In fact,
I don't see anything else to do. This cabin must have been built an'
left here 'speshully fur us. We know, too, that the Texans have all gone
home, thinkin' that the war is over, while we know different an' mebbe
we can do more good here than anywhere else. What do you say, boys? Do
we stay?"
"We stay," replied all together.
They went to work at once fitting up their house. More firewood was
brought in. Fortunately the men had been provided with hatchets, in the
frontier style, which their rescuers had not neglected to bring away,
and they fixed wooden hooks in the walls for their extra arms and
clothing. A half dozen scraped away a large area of the thin snow and
enabled the horses to find grass. A fine spring two hundred yards away
furnished a supply of water.
After the horses had eaten Obed, the Panther and Ned rode away in search
of game, leaving Mr. Roylston in command at the cabin.
The snow was no longer falling, and that which lay on the ground was
melting rapidly.
"I know this country," said the Panther, "an' we've got four chances for
game. It may be buffalo, it may be deer, it may be antelope, and it may
be wild turkeys. I think it most likely that we'll find buffalo. We're
so fur west of the main settlements that they're apt to hang 'roun'
here in the winter in the creek bottoms, an' if it snows they'll take to
the timber fur shelter."
"And it has snowed," said Ned.
"Jest so, an' that bein' the case we'll search the timber. Of course big
herds couldn't crowd in thar, but in this part of the country we
gen'rally find the buffalo scattered in little bands."
They found patches of forest, generally dwarfed in character, and looked
diligently for the great game. Once a deer sprang out of a thicket, but
sped away so fast they did not get a chance for a shot. At length Obed
saw large footprints in the thinning snow, and called the Panther's
attention to them. The big man examined the traces critically.
"Not many hours old," he said. "I'm thinkin' that we'll have buffalo
steak fur supper. We'll scout all along this timber. What we want is a
young cow. Their meat is not tough."
They rode through the timber for about two hours, when Ned caught sight
of moving figures on the far side of a thicket. He could just see the
backs of large animals, and he knew that there were their buffalo. He
pointed them out to the Panther, who nodded.
"We'll ride 'roun' the thicket as gently as possible," he said, "an'
then open fire. Remember, we want a tender young cow, two of 'em if we
can get 'em, an' don't fool with the bulls."
Ned's heart throbbed as Old Jack bore him around the thicket. He had
fought with men, but he was not yet a buffalo hunter. Just as they
turned the flank of the bushes a huge buffalo bull, catching their odor,
raised his head and uttered a snort. The Panther promptly fired at a
young cow just beyond him. The big bull, either frightened or angry,
leaped head down at Old Jack. The horse was without experience with
buffaloes, but he knew that those sharp horns meant no good to him, and
he sprang aside with so much agility that Ned was almost unseated.
The big bull rushed on, and Ned, who had retained his hold upon his
rifle, was tempted to take a shot at him for revenge, but, remembering
the Panther's injunction, he controlled the impulse and fired at a young
cow.
When the noise and confusion were over and the surviving buffaloes had
lumbered away, they found that they had slain two of the young cows and
that they had an ample supply of meat.
"Ned," said the Panther, "you know how to go back to the cabin, don't
you?"
"I can go straight as an arrow."
"Then ride your own horse, lead the other two an' bring two men. We'll
need 'em with the work here."
The Panther and Obed were already at work skinning the cows. Ned sprang
upon Old Jack, and rode away at a trot, leading the other two horses by
their lariats. The snow was gone now and the breeze was almost balmy.
Ned felt that great rebound of the spirits of which the young are so
capable. They had outwitted Urrea, they had taken his prisoners from
him, and then had escaped across the Rio Grande. They had found shelter
and now they had obtained a food supply. They were all good comrades
together, and what more was to be asked?
He whistled as he rode along, but when he was half way back to the cabin
he noticed something in a large tree that caused him to stop. He saw the
outlines of great bronze birds, and he knew that they were wild turkeys.
Wild turkeys would make a fine addition to their larder, and, halting
Old Jack, he shot from his back, taking careful aim at the largest of
the turkeys. The huge bird fell, and as the others flew away Ned was
lucky enough to bring down a second with a pistol shot.
His trophies were indeed worth taking, and tying their legs together
with a withe he hung them across his saddle bow. He calculated that the
two together weighed nearly sixty pounds, and he rode triumphantly when
he came in sight of the cabin.
Will saw him first and gave a shout that drew the other men.
"What luck?" hailed young Allen.
"Not much," replied Ned, "but I did get these sparrows."
He lifted the two great turkeys from his saddle and tossed them to Will.
The boy caught them, but he was borne to his knees by their weight. The
men looked at them and uttered approving words.
"What did you do with the Panther and Obed?" asked Fields.
"The last I saw of them they had been dismounted and were being chased
over the plain by two big bull buffaloes. The horns of the buffaloes
were then not more than a foot from the seats of their trousers. So I
caught their horses, and I have brought them back to camp."
"I take it," said Fields, "that you've had good luck."
"We have had the finest of luck," replied Ned. "We ran into a group of
fifteen or twenty buffaloes, and we brought down two fine, young cows. I
came back for two more men to help with them, and on my way I shot these
turkeys."
Fields and another man named Carter returned with Ned. Young Allen was
extremely anxious to go, but the others were chosen on account of their
experience with the work. They found that Obed and the Panther had
already done the most of it, and when it was all finished Fields and
Carter started back with the three horses, heavily laden. As the night
promised to be mild, and the snow was gone, Ned, Obed and the Panther
remained in the grove with the rest of their food supply.
They also wished to preserve the two buffalo robes, and they staked them
out upon the ground, scraping them clean of flesh with their knives.
Then they lighted a fire and cooked as much of the tender meat as they
wished. By this time it was dark and they were quite ready to rest. They
put out the fire and raked up the beds of leaves on which they would
spread their blankets. But first they enjoyed the relaxation of the
nerves and the easy talk that come after a day's work well done.
"It certainly has been a fine day for us," said Obed. "Sometimes I like
to go through the bad days, because it makes the good days that follow
all the better. Yesterday we were wandering around in the snow, and we
had nothing, to-day we have a magnificent city home, that is to say, the
cabin, and a beautiful country place, that is to say, this grove. I can
add, too, that our nights in our country place are spent to the
accompaniment of music. Listen to that beautiful song, won't you?"
A long, whining howl rose, sank and died. After an interval they heard
its exact duplicate and the Panther remarked tersely:
"Wolves. Mighty hungry, too. They've smelled our buffalo meat and they
want it. Guess from their big voices that they're timber wolves and not
coyotes."
Ned knew that the timber wolf was a much larger and fiercer animal than
his prairie brother, and he did not altogether like this whining sound
which now rose and died for the third time.
"Must be a dozen or so," said the Panther, noticing the increasing
volume of sound. "We'll light the fire again. Nothing is smarter than a
wolf, an' I don't want one of those hulkin' brutes to slip up, seize a
fine piece of buffalo and dash away with it. But fire will hold 'em. How
a wolf does dread it! The little red flame is like a knife in his
heart."
They lighted four small fires, making a rude ring which inclosed their
leafy beds and the buffalo skins and meat. Before they finished the task
they saw slim dusky figures among the trees and red eyes glaring at
them. The Panther picked up a stick blazing like a torch, and made a
sudden rush for one of the figures. There was a howl of terror and a
sound of something rushing madly through the bushes.
The Panther flung his torch as far as he could in the direction of the
sounds and returned, laughing deep in his throat.
"I think I came pretty near hittin' the master wolf with that," he said,
"an' I guess he's good an' scared. But they'll come back after a while,
an' don't you forget it. For that reason, I think we'd better keep a
watch. We'll divide it into three hours apiece, an' we'll give you the
first, Ned."
Ned was glad to have the opening watch, as it would soon be over and
done with, and then he could sleep free from care about any watch to
come. The Panther and Obed rolled in their blankets, found sleep almost
instantly, and the boy, resolved not to be a careless sentinel, walked
in a circle just outside the fires.
Sure enough, and just as the Panther had predicted, he saw the red eyes
and dusky forms again. Now and then he heard a faint pad among the
bushes, and he knew that a wolf had made it. He merely changed from the
outside to the inside of the fire ring, and continued his walk. With the
fire about him and his friends so near he was not afraid of wolves, no
matter how big and numerous they might be.
Yet their presence in the bushes, the light shuffle of their feet and
their fiery eyes had an uncanny effect. It was unpleasant to know that
such fierce beasts were so near, and he gave himself a reassuring glance
at the sleeping forms of his partners. By and by the red eyes melted
away, and he heard another soft tread, but heavier than that of the
wolves. With his rifle lying in the hollow of his arm and his finger on
the trigger he looked cautiously about the circle of the forest.
Ned's gaze at last met that of a pair of red eyes, a little further
apart than those of the wolves. He knew then that they belonged to a
larger animal, and presently he caught a glimpse of the figure. He was
sure that it was a puma or cougar, and so far as he could judge it was a
big brute. It, too, must be very hungry, or it would not dare the fire
and the human odor.
Ned felt tentatively of his rifle, but changed his mind. He remembered
the Panther's exploit with the firebrand, and he decided to imitate it,
but on a much larger scale. He laid down his rifle, but kept his left
hand on the butt of the pistol in his belt. Then selecting the largest
torch from the fire he made a rush straight for the blazing eyes,
thrusting the flaming stick before him. There was a frightened roar, and
then the sound of a heavy body crashing away through the undergrowth.
Ned returned, satisfied that he had done as well as the Panther and
better.
Both the Panther and Obed were awake and sitting up. They looked
curiously at Ned, who still carried the flaming brand in his hand.
"A noise like the sound of thunder away off wakened me up," said the
Panther. "Now, what have you been up to, young 'un?"
"Me?" said Ned lightly. "Oh, nothing important. I wanted to make some
investigations in natural history out there in the bushes, and as I
needed a light for the purpose I took it."
"An' if I'm not pressin' too much," said the Panther, in mock humility,
"may I make so bold as to ask our young Solomon what is natural
history?"
"Natural history is the study of animals. I saw a panther in the bushes
and I went out there to examine him. I saw that he was a big fellow, but
he ran away so fast I could tell no more about him."
"You scared him away with the torch instead of shooting," said Obed. "It
was well done, but it took a stout heart. If he comes again tell him I
won't wake up until it's time for my watch."
He was asleep again inside of a minute, and the Panther followed him
quickly. Both men trusted Ned fully, treating him now as an experienced
and skilled frontiersman. He knew it, and he felt proud and encouraged.
The panther did not come back, but the wolves did, although Ned now paid
no attention to them. He was growing used to their company and the
uncanny feeling departed. He merely replenished the fires and sat
patiently until it was time for Obed to succeed him. Then he, too,
wrapped himself in his blankets and slept a dreamless sleep until day.
The remainder of the buffalo meat was taken away the next day, but
anticipating a long stay at the cabin they continued to hunt, both on
horseback and on foot. Two more buffalo cows fell to their rifles. They
also secured a deer, three antelope and a dozen wild turkeys.
Their hunting spread over two days, but when they were all assembled on
the third night at the cabin general satisfaction prevailed. They had
ranged over considerable country, and as game was plentiful and not
afraid the Panther drew the logical conclusion that man had been scarce
in that region.
"I take it," he said, "that the Mexicans are a good distance east, and
that the Lipans and Comanches are another good distance west. Just the
same, boys, we've got to keep a close watch, an' I think we've got more
to fear from raidin' parties of the Indians than from the Mexicans. All
the Mexicans are likely to be ridin' to some point on the Rio Grande to
meet the forces of Santa Anna."
"I wish we had more horses," said Obed. "We'd go that way ourselves and
see what's up."
"Well, maybe we'll get 'em," said the Panther. "Thar's a lot of horses
on these plains, some of which ought to belong to us an' we may find a
way of claimin' our rights."
They passed a number of pleasant days at the cabin and in hunting and
foraging in the vicinity. They killed more big game and the dressed
skins of buffalo, bear and deer were spread on the floor or were hung on
the walls. Wild turkeys were numerous, and they had them for food every
day. But they discovered no signs of man, white or red, and they would
have been content to wait there had they not been so anxious to
investigate the reported advance of Santa Anna on the Rio Grande.
Roylston was the most patient of them all, or at least he said the
least.
"I think," he said about the fourth or fifth day, "that it does not hurt
to linger here. The Mexican power has not yet gathered in full. As for
me, personally, it suits me admirably. I can walk a full two hundred
yards now, and next week I shall be able to walk a mile."
"When we are all ready to depart, which way do you intend to go Mr.
Roylston?" asked Ned.
"I wish to go around the settlements and then to New Orleans," replied
Roylston. "That city is my headquarters, but I also have establishments
elsewhere, even as far north as New York. Are you sure, Ned, that you
cannot go with me and bring your friend Allen, too? I could make men of
you both in a vast commercial world. There have been great
opportunities, and greater are coming. The development of this mighty
southwest will call for large and bold schemes of organization. It is
not money alone that I offer, but the risk, the hopes and rewards of a
great game, in fact, the opening of a new world to civilization, for
such this southwest is. It appeals to some deeper feeling than that
which can be aroused by the mere making of money."
Ned, deeply interested, watched him intently as he spoke. He saw
Roylston show emotion for the first time, and the mind of the boy
responded to that of the man. He could understand this dream. The image
of a great Texan republic was already in the minds of men. It possessed
that of Ned. He did not believe that the Texans and Mexicans could ever
get along together, and he was quite sure that Texas could never return
to its original position as part of a Mexican state.
"You can do much for Texas there with me in New Orleans," said Roylston,
as if he were making a final appeal to one whom he looked upon almost as
a son. "Perhaps you could do more than you can here in Texas."
Ned shook his head a little sadly. He did not like to disappoint this
man, but he could not leave the field. Young Allen also said that he
would remain.
"Be it so," said Roylston. "It is young blood. Never was there a truer
saying than 'Young men for war, old men for counsel.' But the time may
come when you will need me. When it does come send the word."
Ned judged from Roylston's manner that dark days were ahead, but the
merchant did not mention the subject again. At the end of a week, when
they were amply supplied with everything except horses, the Panther
decided to take Ned and Obed and go on a scout toward the Rio Grande.
They started early in the morning and the horses, which had obtained
plenty of grass, were full of life and vigor.
They soon left the narrow belt of forest far behind them, maintaining an
almost direct course toward the southeast. The point on the river that
they intended to reach was seventy or eighty miles away, and they did
not expect to cover the distance in less than two days.
They rode all that day and did not see a trace of a human being, but
they did see both buffalo and antelope in the distance.
"It shows what the war has done," said the Panther. "I rode over these
same prairies about a year ago an' game was scarce, but there were some
men. Now the men are all gone an' the game has come back. Cur'us how
quick buffalo an' deer an' antelope learn about these things."
They slept the night through on the open prairie, keeping watch by
turns. The weather was cold, but they had their good blankets with them
and they took no discomfort. They rode forward again early in the
morning, and about noon struck an old but broad trail. It was evident
that many men and many wagons had passed here. There were deep ruts in
the earth, cut by wheels, and the traces of footsteps showed over a
belt a quarter of a mile wide.
"Well, Ned, I s'pose you can make a purty good guess what this means?"
said the Panther.
"This was made weeks and weeks ago," replied Ned confidently, "and the
men who made it were Mexicans. They were soldiers, the army of Cos, that
we took at San Antonio, and which we allowed to retire on parole into
Mexico."
"There's no doubt you're right," said the Panther. "There's no other
force in this part of the world big enough to make such a wide an'
lastin' trail. An' I think it's our business to follow these tracks.
What do you say, Obed?"
"It's just the one thing in the world that we're here to do," said the
Maine man. "Broad is the path and straight is the way that leads before
us, and we follow on."
"Do we follow them down into Mexico?" said Ned.
"I don't think it likely that we'll have to do it," replied the Panther,
glancing at Obed.
Ned caught the look and he understood.
"Do you mean," he asked, "that Cos, after taking his parole and pledging
his word that he and his troops would not fight against us, would stop
at the Rio Grande?"
"I mean that an' nothin' else," replied the Panther. "I ain't talkin'
ag'in Mexicans in general. I've knowed some good men among them, but I
wouldn't take the word of any of that crowd of generals, Santa Anna,
Cos, Sesma, Urrea, Gaona, Castrillon, the Italian Filisola, or any of
them."
"There's one I'd trust," said Ned, with grateful memory, "and that's
Almonte."
"I've heard that he's of different stuff," said the Panther, "but it's
best to keep out of their hands."
They were now riding swiftly almost due southward, having changed their
course to follow the trail, and they kept a sharp watch ahead for
Mexican scouts or skirmishers. But the bare country in its winter brown
was lone and desolate. The trail led straight ahead, and it would have
been obvious now to the most inexperienced eye that an army had passed
that way. They saw remains of camp fires, now and then the skeleton of a
horse or mule picked clean by buzzards, fragments of worn-out clothing
that had been thrown aside, and once a broken-down wagon. Two or three
times they saw little mounds of earth with rude wooden crosses stuck
upon them, to mark where some of the wounded had died and had been
buried.
They came at last to a bit of woodland growing about a spring that
seemed to gush straight up from the earth. It was really an open grove
with no underbrush, a splendid place for a camp. It was evident that
Cos's force had put it to full use, as the earth nearly everywhere had
been trodden by hundreds of feet, and the charred pieces of wood were
innumerable. The Panther made a long and critical examination of
everything.
"I'm thinkin'," he said, "that Cos stayed here three or four days. All
the signs p'int that way. He was bound by the terms we gave him at San
Antonio to go an' not fight ag'in, but he's shorely takin' his time
about it. Look at these bones, will you? Now, Ned, you promisin' scout
an' skirmisher, tell me what they are."
"Buffalo bones," replied Ned promptly.
"Right you are," replied the Panther, "an' when Cos left San Antonio he
wasn't taking any buffaloes along with him to kill fur meat. They staid
here so long that the hunters had time to go out an' shoot game."
"A long lane's the thief of time," said Obed, "and having a big march
before him, Cos has concluded to walk instead of run."
"'Cause he was expectin' somethin' that would stop him," said the
Panther angrily. "I hate liars an' traitors. Well, we'll soon see."
Their curiosity became so great that they rode at a swift trot on the
great south trail, and not ten miles further they came upon the
unmistakable evidences of another big camp that had lasted long.
"Slower an' slower," muttered the Panther. "They must have met a
messenger. Wa'al, it's fur us to go slow now, too."
But he said aloud:
"Boys, it ain't more'n twenty miles now to the Rio Grande, an' we can
hit it by dark. But I'm thinkin' that we'd better be mighty keerful now
as we go on."
"I suppose it's because Mexican scouts and skirmishers may be watching,"
said Ned.
"Yes, an' 'specially that fellow Urrea. His uncle bein' one of Santa
Anna's leadin' gen'rals, he's likely to have freer rein, an', as we
know, he's clever an' active. I'd hate to fall into his hands again."
They rode more slowly, and three pairs of eyes continually searched the
plain for an enemy. Ned's sight was uncommonly acute, and Obed and the
Panther frequently appealed to him as a last resort. It flattered his
pride and he strove to justify it.
Their pace became slower and slower, and presently the early twilight of
winter was coming. A cold wind moaned, but the desolate plain was broken
here and there by clumps of trees. At the suggestion of the Panther
they rode to one of these and halted under cover of the timber.
"The river can't be much more than a mile ahead," said the Panther, "an'
we might run into the Mexicans any minute. We're sheltered here, an'
we'd better wait a while. Then I think we can do more stalkin'."
Obed and Ned were not at all averse, and dismounting they stretched
themselves, easing their muscles. Old Jack hunted grass and, finding
none, rubbed Ned's elbow with his nose suggestively.
"Never mind, old boy," said Ned, patting the glossy muzzle of his
faithful comrade. "This is no time for feasting and banqueting. We are
hunting Mexicans, you and I, and after that business is over we may
consider our pleasures."
They remained several hours among the trees. They saw the last red glow
that the sun leaves in the west die away. They saw the full darkness
descend over the earth, and then the stars come trooping out. After that
they saw a scarlet flush under the horizon which was not a part of the
night and its progress. The Panther noted it, and his great face
darkened. He turned to Ned.
"You see it, don't you? Now tell me what it is."
"That light, I should say, comes from the fires of an army. And it can
be no other army than that of Cos."
"Right again, ain't he, Obed?"
"He surely is. Cos and his men are there. He who breaks his faith when
he steals away will have to fight another day. How far off would you say
that light is, Panther?"
"'Bout two miles, an' in an hour or so we'll ride fur it. The night will
darken up more then, an' it will give us a better chance for lookin' an
listenin'. I'll be mightily fooled if we don't find out a lot that's
worth knowin'."
True to Obed's prediction, the night deepened somewhat within the hour.
Many of the stars were hidden by floating wisps of cloud, and objects
could not be seen far on the dusky surface of the plain. But the
increased darkness only made the scarlet glow in the south deepen. It
seemed, too, to spread far to right and left.
"That's a big force," said the Panther. "It'll take a lot of fires to
make a blaze like that."
"I'm agreeing with you," said Obed. "I'm thinking that those are the
camp fires of more men than Cos took from San Antonio with him."
"Which would mean," said Ned, "that another Mexican army had come north
to join him."
"Anyhow, we'll soon see," said the Panther.
They mounted their horses and rode cautiously toward the light.