Eddies of smoke hung between floor and ceiling. Many of the men coughed,
and it was long before they could reduce the horses to entire quiet.
They wrapped the dead man in his blankets and laid him in the corner.
They bound up the hurts of the others, as best they could and then, save
for the watching, they relaxed completely. Ned, his back against the
wall, sat with his friends Obed and the Ring Tailed Panther. He was
utterly exhausted, and even in the dusk the men noticed it.
"Here, Ned," said Obed, "take a chew of this. You may not feel that you
need it, but it will be a good thing for you."
He extended a strip of dried venison. Ned thanked him and ate, although
he had not felt hungry. By and by he grew stronger, and then Bowie
called to him.
"Ned," he said, "crawl across the floor again. Be sure you do not raise
your head until you reach the wall. Then ring the bell, until I tell you
to stop. I've a notion that somebody will come by morning. Boys, the
rest of you be ready with your rifles. It was the bell before that
brought on the attack."
Ned slid across the floor, and once more pulled the rope with the old
fervor, sending the notes of the tune that he could play best far out
over the valley of the San Antonio.
Pages:
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373