They knew how
divided counsels had scattered the little Texan army. At San Antonio,
the most important point of all, the town that they had triumphantly
taken from a much greater force of Mexicans, there were practically no
men, and that undoubtedly was Santa Anna's destination. Unconsciously
they began to urge their horses to great and yet greater speed, until
the Panther recalled them to prudence.
"Slower, boys! slower!" he said. "We mustn't run our horses out at the
start."
"And there's a second reason for pulling down," said Ned, "since there's
somebody else on the plain."
His uncommon eyesight had already detected before the others the strange
presence. 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 on
the 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 the
Panther, "an' now I wonder who in the name of the great horn spoon they
are!"
"Suppose we see," said Obed.
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