There was no possibility of escape."
Fannin paled. But he pressed his lips firmly together for a moment and
then said to Ned:
"Keep this to yourself, will you? Our troops are young and without
experience. It would discourage them too much."
"Of course," said Ned. "But meanwhile I wish to fight with you."
"There will be plenty of chance," said Fannin. "Hark to it!"
The sound of firing swelled on all sides of them, and above it rose the
triumphant shouts of the Mexicans.
CHAPTER XVII
THE SAD SURRENDER
Ned took another look at the beleaguered force, and what he saw did not
encourage him. The men, crowded together, were standing in a depression
seven or eight feet below the surface of the surrounding prairie. Near
by was an ammunition wagon with a broken axle. The men themselves, three
ranks deep, were in a hollow square, with the cannon at the angles and
the supply wagons in the center. Every face looked worn and anxious, but
they did not seem to have lost heart.
Yet, as Ned had foreseen, this was quite a different force from that
which had held the Alamo so long, and against so many. Most of the young
faces were not yet browned by the burning sun of Texas.
Pages:
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398