“I think, Ned,” said Bowie, “that you have served Texas well.  We have been divided among ourselves.  Many have believed in propitiating Santa Anna and Mexico, but how can you propitiate a tiger that is about to devour you?  We cannot trust Mexico, and we cannot trust Santa Anna.  Your message settles all doubt and gives us time to arm.  Thank God we refused to give up our rifles, because we are going to need them more than anything else on earth.  It was surely more than luck that brought us this way.  We came down here, Ned, on an expedition, half for hunting and half for scouting, and we’ve found more than we expected.  We must start for Texas in the morning.  Is it not so, boys?”

“Yes,” they answered all together.

“Then, Ned,” said Bowie, “you can tell your story to Sam Houston and all our leaders, and I think I know what they will say.  We are few, but Santa Anna and all Mexico cannot ride over Texas.  And now it’s time for you and Obed to go to sleep.  I should think that after being chased nearly a week you’d be glad to rest.”

“We are,” said Obed, answering for them both, “and once more we want to thank you.  If you hadn’t come the Lipans would certainly have got us.”

The night, as usual, was chilly, and Ned spread his blankets in front of the fire.  His saddle formed a pillow for his head, and with one blanket beneath him, another above him, and the stalwart Texans all about him, he felt a deep peace, nay more, a great surge of triumph.  He had made his way through everything.  Santa Anna and Cos could not attack the Texans, unwarned.  Neither Mexicans nor Lipans, neither prisons nor storms nor deserts had been able to stop him.

After the triumphant leap of his blood the great peace possessed him entirely.  His mind and body relaxed completely.  His eyelids drooped and the flames danced before him.  The figures of the men became dusky.  Sometimes he saw them and sometimes he did not.  Then everything vanished, and he fell into a long and sound sleep.

While Ned and Obed slept, the Texans conferred earnestly.  They knew that every word Ned had told was true, and they felt that the trouble between Texas and Mexico had now come to a head.  It must be war.  They were fully aware of the fearful odds, but they did not believe the Texans would flinch.  Three or four rode a long distance around the camp and scouted carefully.  But, as they had expected, they saw no sign of the Lipans, who undoubtedly were still fleeing southward, carrying in their hearts a healthy fear of the long rifles of the Texans.

After the scouts came back most of the men went to sleep, but Bowie and “Deaf” Smith watched all through the night.  Ned moved a little toward the morning and displaced the blanket that lay over him.  Bowie gently put it back.

“He’s a good boy as well as a brave one,” he said to Smith, “and we owe him a lot.”

“Never a doubt of that,” said Smith, “and he’ll be with us in the coming struggle.”