Then the good thought came.
"Wait a moment," he said, and he cut the bonds of another man.
"Now you help your friend there," he said.
He saw the two going away together, and he turned to the others. He and
Obed worked fast, and within five minutes the last man was released. But
as they crept back toward the chaparral the slack sentinels caught
sight of the dusky figures retreating. Two musket shots were fired and
there were rapid shouts in Mexican jargon. Ned and Obed rose to their
feet and, keeping the escaped prisoners before them, ran for the
thickets.
A terrific reply to the Mexican alarm came from the forest. A volley of
rifle and pistol shots was fired among the soldiers as they sprang to
their feet and a tremendous voice roared:
"At 'em, boys! At 'em! Charge 'em! Now is your time! Rip an' t'ar an'
roar an' chaw! Don't let a single one escape! Sweep the scum off the
face of the earth!"
The Ring Tailed Panther had a mighty voice, issuing from a mighty
throat. Never had he used it in greater volume or to better purpose than
on that night. The forest fairly thundered with the echoes of the battle
cry, and as the dazed Mexicans rushed for their guns only to find them
gone, they thought that the whole Texan army was upon them.
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