As all the four spoke
Spanish, they advanced, confident in themselves, and the protecting
shadows of the night. A dog barked at them, but Obed cursed him in good,
strong Mexican, and he slunk away. Two peons wrapped to the eyes in
serapes passed them but Obed boldly gave them the salutations of the
night and they walked on, not dreaming that the dreaded Texans were by.
Fifty yards further they saw a long earthwork, with the spades and
shovels lying beside it, as if the Mexicans expected to resume work
there in the morning. Toward the north they saw another such defense but
they did not go very near, as Mexican soldiers were camped beside it.
But Ned retained a very clear idea of the location of the two
earthworks.
Then they curved in toward the more important portion of the town, the
center of which was two large squares, commonly called Main Plaza and
Military Plaza, separated only by the church of San Fernando. Here were
many houses built heavily of stone in the Spanish style. They had thick
walls and deep embrasured windows. Often they looked like and were
fortresses.
Ned and his comrades were extremely anxious to approach those squares,
but the danger was now much greater. They saw barricades on several
important streets and many soldiers were passing.
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