"
"And they are Mexicans, too," said Ned. "What does it mean?"
A considerable force of mounted Mexicans was coming into view, and
Smith's opinion was formed at once.
"It's reinforcements for Cos," he cried. "We heard that Ugartchea was
going to bring fresh troops from Laredo, and that he would also have
with him mule loads of silver to pay off Cos' men. We'll just cut off
this force and take their silver. We'll ride to Bowie!"
They galloped at full speed to the camp and found the redoubtable
Georgian, who instantly gathered together a hundred men including the
Ring Tailed Panther and Obed and raced back. The Mexican horsemen were
still in the valley, seeming to move slowly, and Bowie at once formed up
the Texans for a charge. But before he could give the word a trumpet
pealed, and the Mexicans rode at full speed toward a great gully at the
end of the valley into which they disappeared. The last that the Texans
saw were some heavily-loaded mules following their master into the
ravine.
The Ring Tailed Panther burst into a laugh.
"Them's not reinforcements," he cried, "an' them's not mules loaded with
silver. They're carryin' nothin' but grass. These men have been out
there cuttin' feed in the meadow for Cos' horses.
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