He closed his eyes again.

“I am going to sleep a little, if I can,” he said.

But Ned and Will could not sleep.  They went to Ned’s old position at the edge of the creek bed, and together watched the opening dawn.  They saw the bright sun rise over the great plains, and the dew sparkle for a little while on the brown grass.  The day was cold, but apparently it had come with peace.  They saw nothing on the plain, although they had no doubt that the Mexicans were waiting just beyond the first swell.  But Ned and Will discerned three dark objects lying on the sand up the bed of the creek, and they knew that they were the men who had fallen in the first rush.  Ned was glad that he could not see their faces.

At the suggestion of the Panther they lighted fires and had warm food and coffee again, thus putting heart into all the defenders.  Then the Panther chose Ned for a little scouting work on horseback.  Ned found Old Jack seeking blades of grass within the limits allowed by his lariat.  But when the horse saw his master he stretched out his head and neighed.

“I think I understand you,” said Ned.  “Not enough food and no water.  Well, I’ll see that you get both later, but just now we’re going on a little excursion.”

The Panther and Ned rode boldly out of the trees, and advanced a short distance upon the plain.  Two or three shots were fired from a point behind the first swell, but the bullets fell far short.

“I counted on that,” said the Panther.  “If a Mexican has a gun it’s mighty hard for him to keep from firing it.  All we wanted to do was to uncover their position an’ we’ve done it.  We’ll go back now, an’ wait fur them to make the first move.”

But they did not go just yet.  A man on horseback waving a large white handkerchief appeared on the crest of the swell and rode toward them.  It was Urrea.

“He knows that he can trust us, while we don’t know that we can trust him,” said the Panther, “so we’ll just wait here an’ see what he has to say.”

Urrea, looking fresh and spirited, came on with confidence and saluted in a light easy fashion.  The two Americans did not return the salute, but waited gravely.

“We can be polite, even if we are enemies,” said Urrea, “so I say good morning to you both, former friends of mine.”

“I have no friendship with spies and traitors,” growled the Panther.

“I serve my country in the way I think best,” said Urrea, “and you must remember that in our view you two are rebels and traitors.”

“We don’t stab in the back,” said the Panther.

Urrea flushed through his swarthy skin.

“We will not argue the point any further,” he said, “but come at once to the business before us.  First, I will admit several things.  Your rescue of the prisoners was very clever.  Also you beat us off last night, but I now have a hundred men with me and we have plenty of arms.  We are bound to take you sooner or later.”