CHAPTER VI
FOR FREEDOM'S SAKE
Evidently the horses had found considerable grass through the night, asthey were fresh and strong, and the miles fell fast behind them. At thegait at which they were going they would reach the cabin that night.Meanwhile they made plans. The little force would divide and messengerswould go to San Antonio, Harrisburg and other points, with the news thatSanta Anna was advancing with an immense force.
And every one of the three knew that the need was great. They knew howdivided counsels had scattered the little Texan army. At San Antonio,the most important point of all, the town that they had triumphantlytaken from a much greater force of Mexicans, there were practically nomen, and that undoubtedly was Santa Anna's destination. Unconsciouslythey began to urge their horses to great and yet greater speed, untilthe Panther recalled them to prudence.
"Slower, boys! slower!" he said. "We mustn't run our horses out at thestart."
"And there's a second reason for pulling down," said Ned, "since there'ssomebody else on the plain."
His uncommon eyesight had already detected before the others the strangepresence. He pointed toward the East.
"Do you see that black speck there, where the sky touches the ground?"he said. "If you'll watch it you'll see that it's moving. And look!There's another! and another! and another!"
The Panther and Obed now saw the black specks also. The three stopped onthe crest of a swell and watched them attentively.
"One! two! three! four! five! six! seven! eight! nine! ten! eleven!twelve! thirteen!" counted the far-sighted boy.
"An' them thirteen specks are thirteen men on horseback," continued thePanther, "an' now I wonder who in the name of the great horn spoon theyare!"
"Suppose we see," said Obed. "All things are revealed to him wholooks--at least most of the time. It is true that they are more thanfour to our one, but our horses are swift, and we can get away."
"That's right," said the Panther. "Still, we oughtn't to take the riskunless everybody is willin'. What do you say, Ned?"
"I reply 'yes,' of course," said the boy, "especially as I've an ideathat those are not Mexicans. They look too big and tall, and they sittoo straight up in their saddles for Mexicans."
"Them ideas of yours are ketchin'," said the Panther. "Them fellers maybe Mexicans, but they don't look like Mexicans, they don't act likeMexicans, an' they ain't Mexicans."
"Take out what isn't, and you have left what is," said Obed.
"We'll soon see," said Ned.
A few minutes more and there could be no further doubt that the thirteenwere Texans or Americans. One rode a little ahead of the others, whocame on in an even line. They were mounted on large horses, but the manin front held Ned's attention.
The leader was tall and thin, but evidently muscular and powerful. Hishair was straight and black like an Indian's. His features were angularand tanned by the winds of many years. His body was clothed completelyin buckskin, and a raccoon skin cap was on his head. Across his shoulderlay a rifle with a barrel of unusual length.
"Never saw any of them before," said the Panther. "By the great hornspoon, who can that feller in front be? He looks like somebody."
The little band rode closer, and its leader held up his hand as a signof amity.
"Good friends," he said, in a deep clear voice, "we don't have veryclose neighbors out here, and that makes a meeting all the pleasanter.You are Texans, I guess."
"You guess right," said the Panther, in the same friendly tone. "An' areyou Texans, too?"
"That point might be debated," replied the man, in a whimsical tone,"and after a long dispute neither I nor my partners here could say whichwas right and which was wrong. But while we may not be Texans, yet wewill be right away."
His eyes twinkled as he spoke, and Ned suddenly felt a strong liking forhim. He was not young and, despite his buckskin dress and carelessgrammar, there was something of the man of the world about him. But heseemed to have a certain boyishness of spirit that appealed strongly toNed.
"I s'pose," he continued, "that a baptism will make us genuine Texans,an' it 'pears likely to me that we'll get that most lastin' of allbaptisms, a baptism of fire. But me an' Betsy here stand ready for it."
He patted lovingly the stock of his long rifle as he spoke the word"Betsy." It was the same word "Betsy" that gave Ned his suddenknowledge.
"I'm thinking that you are Davy Crockett," he said.
The man's face was illumined with an inimitable smile.
"Correct," he said. "No more and no less. Andy Jackson kept me fromgoing back to Washington, an' so me an' these twelve good friends ofmine, Tennesseans like myself, have come here to help free Texas."
He reached out his hand and Ned grasped it. The boy felt a thrill. Thename of Davy Crockett was a great one in the southwest, and here he was,face to face, hands gripped with the great borderer.
"This is Mr. Palmer, known all over Texas as the Panther, and Mr. ObedWhite, once of Maine, but now a Texan," said Ned, introducing hisfriends.
Crockett and the Panther shook hands, and looked each other squarely inthe eye.
"Seems to me," said Crockett, "that you're a man."
"I was jest thinkin' the same of you," said the Panther.
"An' you," said Crockett to Obed White, "are a man, too. But theycertainly do grow tall where you come from."
"I'm not as wide as a barn door, but I may be long enough to reach thebottom of a well," said Obed modestly. "Anyway, I thank you for thecompliment. Praise from Sir Davy is sweet music in my ear, indeed. Andsince we Texans have to stand together, and since to stand together wemust know about one another, may I ask you, Mr. Crockett, which way youare going?"
"We had an idea that we would go to San Antonio," said Crockett, "butI'm never above changin' my opinion. If you think it better to gosomewhere else, an' can prove it, why me an' Betsy an' the whole crowdare ready to go there instead."
"What would you say?" asked the Panther, "if we told you that Santa Annaan' 7,000 men were on the Rio Grande ready to march on San Antonio?"
"If you said it, I'd say it was true. I'd also say that it was a thingthe Texans had better consider. If I was usin' adjectives I'd call italarmin'."
"An' what would you say if I told you there wasn't a hundred Texansoldiers in San Antonio to meet them seven thousand Mexicans comin'under Santa Anna?"
"If you told me that I'd say it was true. I'd say also, if I was usin'adjectives, that it was powerful alarmin'. For Heaven's sake, Mr.Panther, the state of affairs ain't so bad as that, is it?"
"It certainly is," replied the Panther. "Ned Fulton here was all throughtheir camp last night. He can talk Mexican an' Spanish like lightnin'an' he makes up wonderful--an' he saw their whole army. He saw old SantaAnna, too, an' fifty or a hundred generals, all covered with gold lace.If we don't get a lot of fightin' men together an' get 'em quick, Texaswill be swept clean by that Mexican army same as if a field had beencrossed by millions of locusts."
It was obvious that Crockett was impressed deeply by these bluntstatements.
"What do you wish us to do?" he asked the Panther.
"You an' your friends come with us. We've got some good men at a cabinin the woods that we can reach to-night. We'll join with them, raise asmany more as we can, spread the alarm everywhere, an' do everythingpossible for the defence of San Antonio."
"A good plan, Mr. Panther," said Crocket. "You lead the way to thiscabin of yours, an' remember that we're servin' under you for the timebein'."
The Panther rode on without another word and the party, now raised fromthree to sixteen, followed. Crockett fell in by the side of Ned, andsoon showed that he was not averse to talking.
"A good country," he said, nodding at the landscape, "but it ain't likeTennessee. It would take me a long time to git used to the lack of hillsan' runnin' water an' trees which just cover the state of Tennessee."
"We have them here, too," replied Ned, "though I'll admit they'rescattered. But it's
a grand country to fight for."
"An' as I see it we'll have a grand lot of fightin' to do," said DavyCrockett.
They continued at good speed until twilight, when they rested theirhorses and ate of the food that they carried. The night promised to becold but clear, and the crisp air quickened their blood.
"How much further is it?" asked Crockett of Ned.
"Fifteen or eighteen miles, but at the rate we're going we should bethere in three hours. We've got a roof. It isn't a big one, and we don'tknow who built it, but it will shelter us all."
"I ain't complainin' of that," rejoined Davy Crockett. "I'm a lover offresh air an' outdoors, but I don't object to a roof in cold weather.Always take your comfort, boy, when it's offered to you. It saves wearan' tear."
A friendship like that between him and Bowie was established alreadybetween Ned and Crockett. Ned's grave and serious manner, the result ofthe sufferings through which he had gone, invariably attracted theattention and liking of those far older than himself.
"I'll remember your advice, Mr. Crockett," he said.
A rest of a half hour for the horses and they started riding rapidly.After a while they struck the belt of forest and soon the cabin was notmore than a mile away. But the Panther, who was still in the lead,pulled up his horse suddenly.
"Boys," he exclaimed, "did you hear that?"
Every man stopped his horse also and with involuntary motion bentforward a little to listen. Then the sound that the Panther had heardcame again. It was the faint ping of a rifle shot, muffled by thedistance. In a moment they heard another and then two more. The soundscame from the direction of their cabin.
"The boys are attacked," said the Panther calmly, "an' it's just as wellthat we've come fast. But I can't think who is after 'em. There wascertainly no Mexicans in these parts yesterday, an' Urrea could notpossibly have got ahead of us with a raidin' band. But at any rate we'llride on an' soon see."
They proceeded with the utmost caution, and they heard the faint ping ofthe rifles a half dozen times as they advanced. The nostrils of thePanther began to distend, and streaks of red appeared on his eyeballs.He was smelling the battle afar, and his soul rejoiced. He had spent hiswhole life amid scenes of danger, and this was nature to him. Crockettrode up by his side, and he, too, listened eagerly. He no longer carriedBetsy over his shoulder but held the long rifle across the pommel of hissaddle, his hand upon hammer and trigger.
"What do you think it is, Panther?" he asked. Already he had fallen intothe easy familiarity of the frontier.
"I can't make it out yet," replied the Panther, "but them shots shorelycame from the cabin an' places about it. Our fellows are besieged, butI've got to guess at the besiegers, an' then I'm likely to guess wrong."
They were riding very slowly, and presently they heard a dozen shots,coming very clearly now.
"I think we'd better stop here," said the Panther, "an' do a littlescoutin'. If you like it, Mr. Crockett, you an' me an' Ned, here, willdismount, slip forward an' see what's the trouble. Obed will takeCommand of the others, an' wait in the bushes till we come back with thenews, whatever it is."
"I'll go with you gladly," said Davy Crockett. "I'm not lookin' fortrouble with a microscope, but if trouble gets right in my path I'm notdodgin' it. So I say once more, lead on, noble Mr. Panther, an' if Betsyhere must talk she'll talk."
The Panther grinned in the dusk. He and Davy Crockett had instantlyrecognized congenial souls, each in the other.
"I can't promise you that thar'll be rippin' an' t'arin' an' roarin' an'chawin' all the time," he said, "but between you an' me, Davy Crockett,I've an' idee that we're not goin' to any sort of prayer meetin' thistime of night."
"No, I'm thinkin' not," said Crockett, "but if there is a scene ofturbulence before us lead on. I'm prepared for my share in it. Thedebate may be lively, but I've no doubt that I'll get my chance tospeak. There are many ways to attract the attention of the Speaker.Pardon me, Mr. Panther, but I fall naturally into the phrases oflegislative halls."
"I remember that you served two terms in Congress at Washington," saidthe Panther.
"An' I'd be there yet if it wasn't for Andy Jackson. I wanted my way inTennessee politics an' he wanted his. He was so stubborn an' headstrongthat here I am ready to become a statesman in this new Texas which isfightin' for its independence. An' what a change! From marble halls inWashington to a night in the brush on the frontier, an' with an unknownenemy before you."
They stopped talking now and, kneeling down in a thicket, began to creepforward. The cabin was not more than four or five hundred yards away,but a long silence had succeeded the latest shots, and after an advanceof thirty or forty yards they lay still for a while. Then they heard twoshots ahead of them, and saw little pink dots of flame from theexploding gunpowder.
"It cannot be Mexicans who are besieging the cabin," said Ned. "Theywould shout or make some kind of a noise. We have not heard a thing butthe rifle shots."
"Your argyment is good," whispered the Panther. "Look! Did you see thatfigure passin' between us an' the cabin?"
"I saw it," said Davy Crockett, "an' although it was but a glimpse an'this is night it did not seem to me to be clad in full Christianraiment. I am quite sure it is not the kind of costume that would beadmitted to the galleries of Congress."
"You're right, doubly right," said the Panther. "That was an Injun yousaw, but whether a Comanche or a Lipan I couldn't tell. The boys arebesieged not by Mexicans, but by Injuns. Hark to that!"
There was a flash from the cabin, a dusky figure in the woods leapedinto the air, uttered a death cry, fell and lay still.
"An', as you see," continued the Panther, in his whisper, "the boys inthe house are not asleep, dreamin' beautiful dreams. Looks to me as ifthey was watchin' mighty sharp for them fellers who have broke up theirrest."
Crack! went a second shot from the house, but there was no answeringcry, and they could not tell whether it hit anything. But they soon sawmore dark figures flitting through the bushes, and their own positiongrew very precarious. If a band of the Indians stumbled upon them theymight be annihilated before they gave their besieged comrades any help.
"I make the motion, Mr. Panther," said Crockett, "that you form a speedyplan of action for us, an' I trust that our young friend Ned here willsecond it."
"I second the motion," said Ned.
"It is carried unanimously. Now, Mr. Panther, we await your will."
"It's my will that we git back to the rest of the men as soon as we can.I reckon, Mr. Crockett, that them Tennesseans of yours wouldn't head inthe other direction if a fight grew hot."
"I reckon that wild horses couldn't drag 'em away," said Crockett dryly.
"Then we'll go back an' j'in 'em."
"To hold a caucus, so to speak."
"I don't know what a cow-cuss is."
"It's Congressional for a conference. Don't mind these parliamentaryexpressions of mine, Mr. Panther. They give me pleasure an' they hurtnobody."
They reached the Tennesseans without interruption, and the Pantherquickly laid his plan before them. They would advance within a quarterof a mile of the cabin, tie their horses in the thickest of the brush,leave four men to guard them, then the rest would go forward to help thebesieged.
Crockett's eyes twinkled when the Panther announced the campaign in afew words.
"Very good; very good," he said. "A steering committee could not havedone better. That also is parliamentary, but I think you understand it."
They heard detached shots again and then a long yell.
"They're Comanches," said the Panther. "I know their cry, an' I guessthere's a lot of them."
Ned hoped that the shout did not mean the achieving of some triumph.They reached presently a dense growth of brush, and there the horseswere tied. Four reluctant Tennesseans remained with them and the restcrept forward. They did not hear any shot after they left the horsesuntil they were within three hundred yards of the house. Then anapparition caused all to sto
p simultaneously.
A streak of flame shot above the trees, curved and fell. It was followedby another and another. Ned was puzzled, but the Panther laughed low.
"This can't be fireworks on election night," said Davy Crockett. "Itseems hardly the place for such a display."
"They're fireworks, all right," said the Panther, "but it's not electionnight. You're correct about that part of it. Look, there goes the fourthan' the fifth."
Two more streaks of flame curved and fell, and Ned and Crockett werestill puzzled.
"Them's burnin' arrers," said the Panther. "It's an old trick of theInjuns. If they had time enough they'd be sure to set the cabin on fire,and then from ambush they'd shoot the people as they ran out. But whatwe're here for is to stop that little game of theirs. The flight of thearrers enables us to locate the spot from which they come an' therewe'll find the Comanches."
They crept toward the point from which the lighted arrows were flying,and peering; from the thicket saw a score or more of Comanches gatheredin the bushes and under the trees. One of the Tennesseans, seeking abetter position, caused a loud rustling, and the alert Comanches,instantly taking alarm, turned their attention to the point from whichthe sound had come.
"Fire, boys! Fire at once!" cried the Panther.
A deadly volley was poured into the Comanche band. The Indians replied,but were soon compelled to give way. The Panther, raising his voice,shouted in tremendous tones:
"Rescue! Rescue! We're here, boys!"
The defenders of the cabin, hearing the volleys and the shouts of theirfriends, opened the door and rushed out of the cabin, rifle in hand.Caught between two forces, the Comanches gave up and rushed to theplain, where they had left their ponies. Jumping upon the backs ofthese, they fled like the wind.
The two victorious parties met and shook hands.
"We're mighty glad to see you, Panther," said Fields, grinning. "Youdon't look like an angel, but you act like one, an' I see you've broughta lot of new angels with you."
"Yes," replied the Panther, with some pride in his voice, "an' the firstof the angels is Davy Crockett. Mr. Crockett, Mr. Fields."
The men crowded around to shake hands with the renowned Davy. Meanwhilea small party brought the four Tennesseans and the horses. Fortunatelythe Comanches had fled in the other direction. But it was not all joy inthe Texan camp. Two silent figures covered with serapes were stretchedon the floor in the cabin, and several others had wounds, although theyhad borne their part in the fighting.
"Tell us how it happened," said the Panther, after they had setsentinels in the forest.
"They attacked us about an hour after dark," replied Fields. "We knewthat no Mexicans were near, but we never thought of Indians raidingthis far to the eastward. Some of the men were outside looking afterjerked meat when they suddenly opened fire from the brush. Two of theboys, Campbell and Hudson, were hurt so badly that they died after theywere helped into the house by the others. The Comanches tried to rush inwith our own men, but we drove them off and we could have held the cabinagainst 'em forever, if they hadn't begun to shoot the burning arrows.Then you came."
Campbell and Hudson were buried. Ned had been welcomed warmly by Allen,and the two boys compared notes. Will's face glowed when he heard ofNed's adventures within the Mexican lines.
"I could never have done it," he said. "I couldn't have kept steadyenough when one crisis after another came along. I suppose this means,of course, that we must try to meet Santa Anna in some way. What do youthink we can do, Ned?"
"I don't know, but just at present I'm going to sleep. The Panther, DavyCrockett and Obed will debate the plans."
Ned, who was becoming inured to war and danger, was soon asleep, butWill could not close his eyes. He had borne a gallant part in thedefense, and the sounds of rifle shots and Indian yells still resoundedin his excited ear. He remained awake long after he heard the heavybreathing of the men about him, but exhausted nerves gave way at lastand he, too, slept.
The next morning their news was debated gravely by all. There was notone among them who did not understand its significance, but it was hardto agree upon a policy. Davy Crockett, who had just come, and who waspractically a stranger to Texas, gave his opinions with hesitation.
"It's better for you, Mr. Panther, an' you, Mr. White, to make themotions," he said, "an' I an' my Tennesseans will endorse them. But itseems, boys, that if we came for a fight it is offered to us the momentwe get here."
"Yes," said the twelve Tennesseans all together.
"I shall be compelled to leave you," said Roylston. "Pray, don't thinkit's because I'm afraid to fight the Mexicans. But, as I told youbefore, I can do far greater good for the Texan cause elsewhere. As I amnow as well as ever, and I am able to take care of myself, I think Ishall leave at once."
"I've known you only a few hours, Mr. Roylston," said Crockett, "butI've knocked around a hard world long enough to know a man when I seehim. If you say you ought, you ought to go."
"That's so," said the Panther. "We've seen Mr. Roylston tried more thanonce, and nobody doubts his courage."
A good horse, saddled and bridled, and arms and ammunition, were givento Roylston. Then he bade them farewell. When he was about twenty yardsaway he beckoned to Ned. When the boy stood at his saddle bow he saidvery earnestly:
"If you fall again into the hands of Santa Anna, and are in danger ofyour life, use my name with him. It is perhaps a more potent weapon thanyou think. Do not forget."
"I will not," said Ned, "and I thank you very much, Mr. Roylston. But Ihope that no such occasion will arise."
"So do I," said Roylston with emphasis. Then he rode away, a square,strong figure, and never looked back.
"What was he saying, Ned?" asked Will, when the boy returned.
"Merely promising help if we should need it, hereafter."
"He looks like a man who would give it."
After some further talk it was decided that Ned, Will, Obed and thePanther should ride south to watch the advance of Santa Anna, whileCrockett, Fields and the remainder should go to San Antonio and raisesuch troops as they could.
"An' if you don't mind my sayin' it to you, Mr. Crockett," said thePanther, "keep tellin' 'em over an' over again that they have need tobeware. Tell 'em that Santa Anna, with all the power of Mexico at hisback, is comin'."
"Fear not, my good friend," said Davy Crockett. "I shall tell them everyhour of the day. I shall never cease to bring the information before thefull quorum of the House. Again I am parliamentary, but I think youunderstand, Mr. Panther."
"We all understan'," said the Panther, and then Crockett rode away atthe head of the little troop which tacitly made him commander. Ned'seyes followed his figure as long as he was in sight. Little did he dreamof what was to pass when they should meet again, scenes that one couldnever forget, though he lived a thousand years.
"A staunch man and true," said Obed. "He will be a great help to Texas."
Then they turned back to the cabin, the four of them, because they didnot intend to go forth until night. They missed their comrades, but thecabin was a pleasant place, well stored now with meat of buffalo, deerand wild turkey. Floor and walls alike were covered with dressed skins.
"Why not fasten it up just as tightly as we can before we go away,"said Allen. "The Comanches are not likely to come back, the war isswinging another way, and maybe we'll find it here handy for us againsome day."
"You're talkin' sense, Will Allen," said the Panther. "It's been ashelter to us once, and it might be a shelter to us twice. The smell ofthe meat will, of course, draw wolves an' panthers, but we can fix it sothey can't get in."
Taking sufficient provisions for themselves, they put the rest high upon the rafters. Then they secured the windows, and heaped logs beforethe door in such a manner that the smartest wolves and panthers in theworld could not force an entrance. As they sat on their horses in thetwilight preparatory to riding away, they regarded their work with greatcontent.
"The
re it is, waiting for us when we come again," said Obed White. "It'sa pleasant thing to have a castle for refuge when your enemies aremaking it too hot for you out in the open."
"So it is," said the Panther, "and a man finds that out more than oncein his life."
Then they turned their horses and rode southward in the dusk. But beforelong they made an angle and turned almost due west. It was theirintention to intersect the settlements that lay between the Rio Grandeand San Antonio and give warning of the approach of Santa Anna.
They went on steadily over a rolling country, mostly bare, but withoccasional clumps of trees.
The Texan Scouts: A Story of the Alamo and Goliad Page 6