"
"It is every word truth!" croaked Ned. "I was pursued by their vanguard!
My horse swam the river with me! Up! Up! for Texas!"
Then he fainted dead away. Bowie seized him in his powerful arms and
carried him into one of the houses occupied by the Texans, where men
stripped him of his wet clothing and gave him restoratives. But Bowie
himself hurried out into the Main Plaza. He had the most unlimited
confidence in Ned's word and so had Crockett. They and Travis at once
began to arrange the little garrison for defence.
Many of the Texans even yet would not believe. So great had been their
confidence that they had sent out no scouting parties. Only a day or two
before they had been enjoying themselves at a great dance. The boy who
had come with the news that Santa Anna was at hand must be distraught.
Certainly he had looked like a maniac.
A loud cry suddenly came from the roof of the church of San Fernando.
Two sentinels posted there had seen the edge of a great army appear upon
the plain and then spread rapidly over it. Santa Anna's army had come.
The mad boy was right. Two horsemen sent out to reconnoiter had to race
back for their lives. The flooded stream was now subsiding and only the
depth of the water in the night had kept the Mexicans from taking cannon
across and attacking.
Pages:
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183