“Then why talk to us about it?” said the Panther.

“Because I wish to save bloodshed.”

“Wa’al, then, what do you have to say?”

“Give us the man, Roylston, and the rest of you can go free.”

“Why are you so anxious to have Roylston?”

Ned eagerly awaited the answer.  It was obvious that Roylston had rather minimized his own importance.  Urrea flicked the mane of his mustang with a small whip and replied: 

“Our President and General, the illustrious Santa Anna, is extremely anxious to see him.  Secrets of state are not for me.  I merely seek to do my work.”

“Then you take this from me,” said the Panther, a blunt frontiersman, “my comrades an’ me ain’t buyin’ our lives at the price of nobody else’s.”

“You feel that way about it, do you?”

“That’s just the way we feel, and I want to say, too, that I wouldn’t take the word of either you or your Santa Anna.  If we was to give up Mr. Roylston—­which we don’t dream of doin’—­you’d be after us as hot an’ strong as ever.”

Urrea’s swarthy cheeks flushed again.

“I shall not notice your insults,” he said.  “They are beneath me.  I am a Mexican officer and gentleman, and you are mere riders of the plains.”

“All the same,” said the Panther grimly, “if you are goin’ to talk you have to talk with us.”

“That is true,” said Urrea lightly, having regained complete control of his temper.  “In war one cannot choose his enemies.  I make you the proposition once more.  Give us Roylston and go.  If you do not accept we shall nevertheless take him and all of you who do not fall first.  Remember that you are rebels and traitors and that you will surely be shot or hanged.”

“I don’t remember any of them things,” said the Panther grimly.  “What I do remember is that we are Texans fightin’ fur our rights.  To hang a man you’ve first got to catch him, an’ to shoot him you’ve first got to hit him.  An’ since things are to be remembered, remember that what you are tryin’ to do to us we may first do to you.  An’ with that I reckon we’ll bid you good day, Mr. Urrea.”

Urrea bowed, but said nothing.  He rode back toward his men, and Ned and the Panther returned to the grove.  Roylston was much better that morning and he was able to stand, leaning against a tree.

“May I ask the result of your conference,” he said.

“There ain’t no secret about it,” replied the Panther, “but them Mexicans seem to be almighty fond of you, Mr. Roylston.”

“In what way did they show it?”

“Urrea said that all of us could go if we would give up you.”

“And your answer?”

The Panther leaned forward a little on his horse.

“You know something about the Texans, don’t you, Mr. Roylston?”

“I have had much opportunity to observe and study them.”

“Well, they’ve got plenty of faults, but you haven’t heard of them buyin’ their lives at the price of a comrade’s, have you?”