Ned watched the column until it was hidden by the swells.  It had never veered to either right or left, and its course was the same as that of his comrades and himself.  He wondered a little while, and then he felt a suspicion which quickly grew into a certainty.  Urrea, a daring partisan leader, who rode over great distances, had heard of the schooner and its arms, and was on his way to the cove to seize them.  It was for Ned and his friends to prevent it.

He returned, and, awakening the others, stated what he had seen.  Then he added his surmise.

“It’s likely that you’re guessin’ right,” said “Deaf” Smith.  “The Mexicans have spies, of course, an’ they get word, too, from Europeans in these parts, who are not friendly to us.  What do you say, boys, all of you?”

“That Urrea is bound for the same place we are,” said Obed White.

“That we’ve got to ride hard, an’ fast,” said the Panther.

“It’s our business to get there first,” said Karnes.

“Let’s take to the saddle now,” said Will Allen.

Ned said nothing.  He had given his opinion already.  They saddled their horses, and were on the plain in five minutes, riding directly in the trail of the Mexican cavalry.  They meant to follow until nearly dawn, and then, passing around, hurry to the cove, where the schooner, without their warning, might be unloading supplies before nightfall into the very arms of the Mexicans.

Before dawn they faintly saw the troop ahead, and then, turning to the left, they put their mustangs into the long easy lope of the frontier, not slowing down, until they were sure that they were at least three or four miles beyond the Mexicans.  But they continued at a fast walk, and ate their breakfasts in the saddle.  They rode through the same beautiful country, but without people, and they knew that if nothing unusual occurred they would see the sea by noon.

Ned went over their directions once more.  The cove ran back from the sea about a mile, and its entrance was a strait not more than thirty yards wide, but deep.  In fact, the entire cove was deep, being surrounded by high forested banks except at the west, into which a narrow but deep creek emptied.  The only convenient landing was the creek’s mouth, and they believed that they would find the schooner there.

Ned, in common with the others, felt the great importance of the mission on which they rode.  Most of the Texan cannon and a great part of their rifles had been taken at the Alamo and Goliad.  But greater even than the need of arms was that of ammunition.  If Urrea were able to seize the schooner, or to take the supplies, the moment after they landed, he would strike the Texans a heavy blow.  Hence the six now pushed their horses.

At ten o’clock, they caught a glimpse of the sea upon their right.  Five minutes later they saw a cloud of dust on their left, less than a mile away.  It was moving rapidly, and it was evident at once that it was made by a large body of horse.  When the dust lifted a little, they saw that it was Urrea and his men.