“We was right in our guess,” said the Panther.  “It’s a lot bigger force than the one that Cos led away from San Antonio, an’ it will take a heap of rippin’ an’ t’arin’ an’ roarin’ to turn it back.  Our people don’t know how much is comin’ ag’in ’em.”

The Panther spoke in a solemn tone.  Ned saw that he was deeply impressed and that he feared for the future.  Good cause had he.  Squabbles among the Texan leaders had reduced their army to five or six hundred men.

“Don’t you think,” said Ned, “that we ought to find out just exactly what is here, and what this army intends?”

“Not a doubt of it,” said Obed.  “Those who have eyes to see should not go away without seeing.”

The Panther nodded violently in assent.

“We must scout about the camp,” he said.  “Mebbe we’d better divide an’ then we can all gather before day-break at the clump of trees back there.”

He pointed to a little cluster of trees several hundred yards back of them, and Ned and Obed agreed.  The Panther turned away to the right, Obed to the left and Ned took the center.  Their plan of dividing their force had a great advantage.  One man was much less likely than three to attract undue attention.

Ned went straight ahead a hundred yards or more, when he was stopped by an arroyo five or six feet wide and with very deep banks.  He looked about, uncertain at first what to do.  Obed and the Panther had already disappeared in the dusk.  Before him glowed the red light, and he heard the distant sound of many voices.

Ned quickly decided.  He remembered how they had escaped up the bed of the creek when they were besieged by Urrea, and if one could leave by an arroyo, one could also approach by it.  He rode to the group of trees that had been designated as the place of meeting, and left his horse there.  He noticed considerable grass within the ring of trunks, and he was quite confident that Old Jack would remain there until his return.  But he addressed to him words of admonition: 

“Be sure that you stay among these trees, old friend,” he said, “because it’s likely that when I want you I’ll want you bad.  Remain and attend to this grass.”

Old Jack whinnied softly and, after his fashion, rubbed his nose gently against his master’s arm.  It was sufficient for Ned.  He was sure that the horse understood, and leaving him he went back to the arroyo, which he entered without hesitation.

Ned was well armed, as every one then had full need to be.  He wore a sombrero in the Mexican fashion, and flung over his shoulders was a great serape which he had found most useful in the winter.  With his perfect knowledge of Spanish and its Mexican variants he believed that if surprised he could pass as a Mexican, particularly in the night and among so many.

The arroyo led straight down toward the plain upon which the Mexicans were encamped, and when he emerged from it he saw that the fires which at a distance looked like one continuous blaze were scores in number.  Many of them were built of buffalo chips and others of light wood that burned fast.  Sentinels were posted here and there, but they kept little watch.  Why should they?  Here was a great Mexican army, and there was certainly no foe amounting to more than a few men within a hundred miles.