But the Texans contented
themselves again with a grim silence, and the Mexicans rode back to
their camp. The disgust of the Ring Tailed Panther was so deep that he
could not utter a word. But Obed was glad.
"More men will come to-night," he said to Ned. "You know that requests
for help were sent in all directions by the people of Gonzales, and if I
know our Texans, and I think I do, they'll ride hard to be here.
Castenada, in a way, is besieging us now, but--well, the tables may be
turned and he'll turn with 'em."
Just at twilight a great shout arose from the women in the village.
There was a snorting of horses, a jingling of spurs and embroidered
bridle reins, and twenty lean, brown men, very tall and broad of
shoulder, rode up. They were the vanguard of the Texan help, and they
rejoiced when they found that the Mexican force was still on the west
side of the Guadalupe.
Their welcome was not noisy but deep. The eighteen were now the
thirty-eight, and to-morrow they would be a hundred or more. The twenty
had ridden more than a hundred miles, but they were fresh and zealous
for the combat. They went down to the river, and, in the darkness,
looked at the Mexican camp fires, while the Ring Tailed Panther roared
out his opinion.
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