Urrea said a few words to his officers and then withdrew into a small
tent which Ned had not noticed hitherto. The officers lay down in their
blankets, but a dozen sentinels watched about the open space. Ned and
the Panther crept slowly back toward the plain.
"What is our best plan, Panther?" whispered the hoy.
"We can't do anything yet but haul off, watch an' then follow. The
chaparral runs along for a mile or two an' we can hide in the north end
of it until they march south an' are out of sight. Then we'll hang on."
They found Obed standing exactly where they had left him, the reins of
the three horses in his hands.
"Back at last," he said. "All things come to him who waits long enough,
if he doesn't die first. Did you see anything besides a lot of Mexican
vaqueros, fuddled with liquor and sound asleep?"
"We did not see any vaqueros," replied the Panther, "but we saw Urrea
an' his band, an' they had among them a dozen good Texans bound fast,
men who will be shot if we three don't stand in the way. You have to
follow with us, Obed, because Ned has already promised for you."
The Maine man looked at them and smiled.
"A terribly good mind reader, that boy, Ned," he said.
Pages:
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41