Ned could turn his eyes now.  He saw more riderless horses than before, while the fallen, lying still on the prairie, had doubled in number.  Then his eyes turned back to the gun, standing somber and silent among those who had died for it.  The battle-fire gone, for the present, Ned felt pity for the Mexicans who lay so thick about the cannon.  Nor did he fail to admire the courage that had been spent so freely, but in vain.

“They won’t come again,” said the Ring Tailed Panther, dropping to the grass.  “They have had enough.”

“I don’t blame ’em,” said Obed, lying down by his side.  “They must have lost a third of their number, and they’d have lost another third if they had charged once more.”

“They’re not going away,” said Ned, who had remained on his perch.  “They’re coming again.”

A third time the Mexicans charged and a third time they were driven back by the rifles.  Then they formed on the prairie beyond gunshot, and marched away to San Antonio, leaving behind the mournful and silent cannon as proof alike of their courage and defeat.

CHAPTER XX

THE WHEEL OF FIRE

Ned watched the Mexicans marching away until the last lance had disappeared behind a swell of the prairie.  Then he joined in the cheer that the Texans gave, after which he and his comrades went out upon the field, and gazed upon their work.  The killed among the Mexicans nearly equaled in numbers the whole Texan force, sixteen lying dead around the cannon alone, and many of them also had been wounded, while the Texans had escaped with only a single man slain, and but few hurt.  But Ned quickly left the field.  The sight of it was not pleasant to him, although he was still heart and soul with the Texans, in what he regarded as a defensive war.

Bowie drew his forces out of the horseshoe and they rode for the Texan camp, carrying with them the trophies of arms that they had taken.  On their way they met Mr. Austin and a strong force who had heard of their plight and who were now coming to their relief.  They, too, rejoiced greatly at the victory, and all went back in triumph to the Salado.

“Now that they have seen how we can fight I reckon that Mr. Austin and Houston will order an attack right away on San Antonio,” said the Ring Tailed Panther.

“I don’t believe they will,” said Obed White.  “Seeing is sometimes doubting.  I believe that they still fear our failure.”

Ned inclined to Obed’s belief but he said nothing.  At twilight Urrea came back, rejoicing and also full of regrets.  He rejoiced over the victory and he regretted that he had not been there.

“Seems to me, Don Francisco,” said the Ring Tailed Panther, “that you’re missin’ a lot of things.”

“There’s many a slip ’twixt Francisco and the fight-o,” said Obed.

Ned was hurt by the irony of his friends, but Urrea only laughed as he spread his blanket in a good place, and lay down on it.