“All things, including Mexicans, come to him who waits,” said Obed, “and speaking for myself I’d rather they wouldn’t come until day.  It’s more comfortable to sit quiet in the dark.”

These three and six others had taken a position under a great oak tree, where they were well shaded but could easily see anyone who approached the ford on the opposite side.  Back of them a few lights burned in the little town, where the anxious women watched, but no noise came from it or the second ford, where the other half of the eighteen were on guard.  Their horses were tethered some distance in the rear and they, too, rested in quiet.

The tree sent up a great gnarled root and Ned sat on the ground, leaning against it.  It just fitted into the curve of his back and he was very comfortable.  But he did not allow his comfort to lull him into lethargy.  Always he watched the river and the farther shore.  He had now become no mean scout and sentinel.  The faculties develop fast amid the continuous fight for life against all kinds of dangers.  Above all, that additional sense which may be defined as prescience, and, which was a development of the other five, was alive within him, ready to warn him of a hostile presence.

But Ned neither saw nor heard anything, nor did his sixth sense warn him that an enemy was near.  The Guadalupe, wide, yellow and comparatively shallow like most of the Texas rivers, flowed slowly and without sound.  Now and then Obed and the Panther walked down to the other ford, where all, too, was quiet, but Ned kept his place against the root.  Toward morning the Panther sat down beside him there.

“Waitin’s hard,” he said.  “I like to jump on the enemy with claws an’ nails an’ have it out right there an’ then.  I like to roar an’ bite.  That’s why I’m a Ring Tailed Panther.”

Ned laughed.

“If Castenada is coming, and they say he surely is,” he said, “we’ll soon have use for all our claws and teeth.”

“Patience will bring our Mexicans,” said Obed White.

At daylight women from the cabins brought them all coffee and warm food, for which they were very grateful.  Then the sun rose, and the morning was fresh and crisp, it now being autumn.  The men remained by the river, still watching intently and Ned caught a sudden sharp glint which was not that of the sun, far out on the prairie.  He knew that it was a brilliant ray reflected from the polished head of a lance, and he said as he pointed a finger: 

“The Mexicans are coming.”

“So they are,” said the Ring Tailed Panther.  “I see a horseman, an’ another, an’ another, an’ now a lot of ’em.  They must be a hundred at least.  It’s the troop of Castenada, an’ they’re after that cannon.  Well, I’m glad.”

The man seemed to swell and his eyes darkened.  He was like some formidable beast about to spring.  The boaster was ready to make good his boast.

“Run down to the other ford, Ned,” said Palmer, “an’ tell the men there that the Mexicans are at hand.”