Ned thrilled. He was here with his own people,
and with the greatest of them. He had finished his long journey and he
was with the Texans. The words shaped themselves again and again in his
brain, the Texans! the Texans! the Texans!
"You two seem to have given the Lipans a lot of trouble," said Bowie,
looking at the two fallen warriors.
"We were putting all the obstacles we could in the way of what they
wanted," said Obed modestly, "but we don't know what would have happened
if you hadn't come. Those fellows had been following us for days, and
they must have had some idea that you were near, or they would have
waited still longer."
"They must not have known that we were as near as we were," said Bowie,
"or they would not have invited our attack. We heard the firing and
galloped to it at once. But you two need something better than talk."
He broke off suddenly, because Ned had sat down on one of the logs,
looking white and ill. The collapse had come after so many terrible
trials and privations, and not even his will could hold him.
"Here, you take a drink of this water, it's good and cold," said "Deaf"
Smith kindly as he held out a canteen. "I reckon that no boy has ever
passed through more than you have, and if there's any hero you are one.
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