They deemed it wise now to keep a watch, as they might be near Urrea’s band or Lipans might pass, and the Panther, who said he was not sleepy at all, became sentinel. Ned, although he had not risen until noon, was sleepy again from the long ride, and his eyes closed soon. The last object that he saw was the Panther standing on the crest of the swell just beyond them, rifle on shoulder, watching the moonlit plains. Obed White was asleep already.
The Panther walked back and forth a few times and then looked down at his comrades in the dip. His trained eyes saw their chests rising and falling, and he knew that they were far away in the land of Nowhere. Then he extended his walk back and forth a little further, scanning carefully the dusky plain.
A light wind sprang up after a while, and it brought a low but heavy and measured tread to his ears. The Panther’s first impulse was to awaken his friends, because this might be the band of Urrea, but he hesitated a moment, and then lay down with his ear to the earth. When he rose his uneasiness had departed and he resumed his walk back and forth. He had heard that tread before many times and, now that it was coming nearer, he could not mistake it, but, as the measured beat indicated that it would pass to one side, it bore no threat for his comrades or himself.
The Panther did not stop his walk as from a distance of a few hundred yards he watched the great buffalo herd go by. The sound was so steady and regular that Ned and Obed were not awakened nor were the horses disturbed. The buffaloes showed a great black mass across the plain, extending for fully a mile, and they were moving north at an even gait. The Panther watched until the last had passed, and he judged that there were fully a hundred thousand animals in the herd. He saw also the big timber wolves hanging on the rear and flanks, ready to cut out stray calves or those weak from old age. So busy were the wolves seeking a chance that they did not notice the gigantic figure of the man, rifle on shoulder, who stood on the crest of the swell looking at them as they passed.
The Panther’s eyes followed the black line of the herd until it disappeared under the northern rim of darkness. He was wondering why the buffaloes were traveling so steadily after daylight and he came to the conclusion that the impelling motive was not a search for new pastures. He listened a long time until the last rumble of the hundred thousand died away in a faint echo, and then he awakened his comrades.
“I’m thinkin’,” he said, “that the presence of Urrea’s band made the buffaloes move. Now I’m not a Ring Tailed Panther an’ a Cheerful Talker for nothin’, an’ we want to hunt that band. Like as not they’ve been doin’ some mischief, which we may be able partly to undo. I’m in favor of ridin’ south, back on the herd track an’ lookin’ for ’em.”
“So am I,” said Obed White. “My watch says it’s one o’clock in the morning, and my watch is always right, because I made it myself. We’ve had a pretty good rest, enough to go on, and what we find may be worth finding. A needle in a haystack may be well hid, but you’ll find it if you look long enough.”
They rode almost due south in the great path made by the buffalo herd, not stopping for a full two hours when a halt was made at a signal from the Panther. They were in a wide plain, where buffalo grass yet grew despite the winter, and the Panther said with authority that the herd had been grazing here before it was started on its night journey into the north.
“An’ if we ride about this place long enough,” he said, “we’ll find the reason why the buffaloes left it.”
He turned his horse in a circuit of the plain and Ned and Obed followed the matchless tracker, who was able, even in the moonlight, to note any disturbance of the soil. Presently he uttered a little cry and pointed ahead. Both saw the skeleton of a buffalo which evidently had been killed not long and stripped of its meat. A little further on they saw another and then two more.
“That tells it,” said the Panther succinctly. “These buffaloes were killed for food an’ most likely by Mexicans. It was the shots that set the herd to runnin’. The men who killed ’em are not far away, an’ I’m not a Ring Tailed Panther an’ a Cheerful Talker if they don’t belong to Urrea’s band.”
“Isn’t that a light?” said Ned, pointing to the west, “or is it a firefly or something of the kind?”
A glowing spark was just visible over the plain, but as it neither moved nor went out the three concluded that it was made by a distant fire.
“I think it’s in chaparral or among trees,” said Obed, “or we would see it more plainly. It’s a poor camp fire that hides its light under a bushel.”
“I think you’re right an’ it must be chaparral,” said the Panther. “But we’ll ride toward it an’ soon answer our own questions.”
The light was more than a mile away and, as they advanced slowly, they saw it grow in size and intensity. It was surely a campfire, but no sound that they could yet hear came from it. They did not expect to hear any. If it was indeed Urrea and his men they would probably be sleeping soundly, not expecting any foe to be near. The Panther now dismounted, and the other two did likewise.
“No need to show too high above the plain,” he said, “an’ if we have to run it won’t take a second to jump back on our horses.”
Ned did not take the bridle of his horse as the others did. He knew that Old Jack would follow as faithful as any dog to his master, and he was right. As they advanced slowly the velvet nose more than once pressed trustfully against his elbow.
They saw now that an extensive growth of chaparral rose before them, from the center of which the light seemed to be shining. The Panther lay down on the prairie, put his ear to the ground, and listened a long time.
“I think I hear the feet of horses movin’ now an’ then,” he said, “an’ if so, one of us had better stay behin’ with ours. A horse of theirs might neigh an’ a horse of ours might answer. Yon can’t tell. Obed, I guess it’ll be for you to stay. You’ve got a most soothin’ disposition with animals.”
“All right,” said Obed philosophically, “I’d rather go on, but, if it’s better for me to stay, I’ll stay. They also serve who stand and hold the reins. If you find you’ve got to leave in a hurry I’ll be here waiting.”
He gathered up the reins of the three horses and remained quietly on the plain, while Ned and the Panther went forward, making straight for the light.
When they came to the edge of the chaparral they knelt among the bushes and listened. Now both distinctly heard the occasional movement of horses, and they saw the dusky outlines of several figures before the fire, which was about three hundred yards away.
“They are bound to be Mexicans,” whispered the Panther, “’cause there are no Texans in this part of the country, an’ you an’ me, Ned, must find out just who they are.”
“You lead the way, Panther,” said Ned. “I’ll follow wherever you go.”
“Then be mighty careful. Look out for the thorns an’ don’t knock your rifle against any bush.”
The Panther lay almost flat. His huge figure seemed to blend with the earth, and he crept forward among the thorny bushes with amazing skill. He was like some large animal, trained for countless generations to slip through thickets. Ned, just behind him, could hear only the faintest noise, and the bushes moved so little that one, not knowing, might have credited it to the wind.
The boy had the advantage of following in the path made by the man’s larger figure, and he, too, was successful in making no sound. But he could hear the stamp of horses’ feet clearly now, and both to left and right he caught glimpses of them tethered in the thickets. His comrade stopped at last. They were not more than a hundred yards from the fire now, and the space in front of them was mostly open. The Panther, crouching among the bushes, raised his finger slowly and pointed toward the fire.
Ned, who had moved to one side, followed the pointing finger and saw Urrea. He was the dominant figure in a group of six or seven gathered about the flames. He was no longer in any disguise, but wore an officer’s gorgeous uniform of white and silver. A splendid cocked hat was on his
head, and a small gold hilted rapier swung by his side.
It may have been partly the effect of the night and the red flame, but the face of Urrea had upon Ned an effect much like that of Santa Anna. It was dark and handsome, but full of evil. And evil Ned knew Urrea to be. No man with righteous blood in his veins would play the spy and traitor as he had done.
“I could shoot him from here,” whispered the Panther, who evidently was influenced in a similar way, “then reach our horses an’ get away. It might be a good deed, an’ it might save our lives, Ned, but I’m not able to force myself to do it.”
“Nor I,” said Ned. “I can’t shoot an enemy from ambush.”
Urrea and the other men at the fire, all of whom were in the dress of officers, were in a deep talk. Ned inferred that the subject must be of much importance, since they sat awake, discussing it between midnight and morning.
“Look beyond the fire at the figures leanin’ against the trees,” whispered the Panther.
Ned looked and hot anger rose in his veins.
CHAPTER II
THE CAPTIVES
Ned had not noticed at first, but, since his eyes were growing used to the dim light, and since the Panther had pointed the way, he saw a dozen men, arms bound tightly behind them, leaning against the trees. They were prisoners and he knew instinctively that they were Texans. His blood, hot at first, now chilled in his veins. They had been captured by Urrea in a raid, and as Santa Anna had decreed that all Texans were rebels who should be executed when taken, they would surely die, unless rescue came.
“What shall we do?” he whispered.
“Nothing now,” replied the Panther, in the same soft tone, “but if you an’ Obed are with me we’ll follow this crowd, an’ maybe we can get the Texans away from ’em. It’s likely that Urrea will cross the Rio Grande an’ go down into Mexico to meet Cos or Santa Anna. Are you game enough to go, Ned? I’m a Ring Tailed Panther an’ a roarin’ grizzly bear, but I don’t like to follow all by myself.”
“I’m with you,” said Ned, “if I have to go all the way back to the City of Mexico, an’ I know that I can speak for Obed, too.”
“I jest asked as a matter of form,” said the Panther. “I knowed before askin’ that you an’ Obed would stick to me.”
There was a sudden gust of wind at that moment and the light of the fire sprang higher. The flames threw a glow across the faces of the prisoners. Most of them were asleep, but Ned saw them very distinctly now. One was a boy but little older than himself, his face pale and worn. Near him was an old man, with a face very uncommon on the border. His features were those of a scholar and ascetic. His cheeks were thin, and thick white hair crowned a broad white brow. Ned felt instinctively that he was a man of importance.
Both the boy and the man slept the sleep of utter exhaustion.
Urrea rose presently and looked at his prisoners. The moonlight was shining on his face, and it seemed to Ned to be that of some master demon. The boy was far from denying many good qualities to the Mexicans, but the countenance of Urrea certainly did not express any of them that night. It showed only savage exultation as he looked at the bound men, and Ned knew that this was a formidable enemy of the Texans, one who would bring infinite resources of cunning and enterprise to crush them.
Urrea said a few words to his officers and then withdrew into a small tent which Ned had not noticed hitherto. The officers lay down in their blankets, but a dozen sentinels watched about the open space. Ned and the Panther crept slowly back toward the plain.
“What is our best plan, Panther?” whispered the hoy.
“We can’t do anything yet but haul off, watch an’ then follow. The chaparral runs along for a mile or two an’ we can hide in the north end of it until they march south an’ are out of sight. Then we’ll hang on.”
They found Obed standing exactly where they had left him, the reins of the three horses in his hands.
“Back at last,” he said. “All things come to him who waits long enough, if he doesn’t die first. Did you see anything besides a lot of Mexican vaqueros, fuddled with liquor and sound asleep?”
“We did not see any vaqueros,” replied the Panther, “but we saw Urrea an’ his band, an’ they had among them a dozen good Texans bound fast, men who will be shot if we three don’t stand in the way. You have to follow with us, Obed, because Ned has already promised for you.”
The Maine man looked at them and smiled.
“A terribly good mind reader, that boy, Ned,” he said. “He knew exactly what I wanted. There’s a lot of things in the world that I’d like to do, but the one that I want to do most just now is to follow Urrea and that crowd of his and take away those Texans. You two couldn’t keep me from going.”
The Panther smiled back.
“You are shorely the right stuff, Obed White,” he said. “We’re only three in this bunch, but two of ’em besides me are ring-tailed panthers. Now we’ll just draw off, before it’s day, an’ hide in the chaparral up there.”
They rode a mile to the north and remained among dense bushes until daylight. At dawn they saw a column of smoke rise from Urrea’s camp.
“They are cookin’ breakfast now,” said the Panther. “It’s my guess that in an hour they’ll be ridin’ south with their prisoners.”
The column of smoke sank after a while, and a couple of hours later the three left the chaparral. From one of the summits they dimly saw a mass of horsemen riding toward Mexico.
“There’s our men,” said the Panther, “an’ now we’ll follow all day at this good, safe distance. At night we can draw up closer if we want to do it.”
The Mexicans maintained a steady pace, and the three pursuers followed at a distance of perhaps two miles. Now and then the swells completely shut Urrea’s band from sight, but Ned, Obed and the Panther followed the broad trail without the slightest difficulty.
“They’ll reach the river before noon,” said the Panther. “There ain’t any doubt now that they’re bound for Mexico. It’s jest as well for what we want to do, ’cause they’re likely to be less watchful there than they are in Texas.”
The band of Urrea, as nearly as they could judge, numbered about fifty, all mounted and armed well. The Mexicans were fine horsemen, and with good training and leadership they were dangerous foes. The three knew them well, and they kept so far behind that they were not likely to be observed.
It was only a half hour past noon when Urrea’s men reached the Rio Grande, and without stopping made the crossing. They avoided the quicksands with experienced eyes, and swam their horses through the deep water, the prisoners always kept in the center of the troop. Ned, Obed and the Panther watched them until they passed out of sight. Then they, too, rode forward, although slowly, toward the stream.
“We can’t lose ’em,” said the Panther, “so I think we’d better stay out of sight now that they’re on real Mexican soil. Maybe our chance will come to-night, an’ ag’in maybe it won’t.”
“Patience will have its perfect rescue, if we only do the right things,” said Obed.
“An’ if we think hard enough an’ long enough we’re bound to do ’em, or I’m a Ring Tailed Panther an’ a Cheerful Talker fur nothin’,” said the Panther.
Waiting until they were certain that the Mexicans were five or six miles ahead, the three forded the Rio Grande, and stood once more on Mexican soil. It gave Ned a curious thrill. He had passed through so much in Mexico that he had not believed he would ever again enter that country. The land on the Mexican side was about the same as that on the Texan, but it seemed different to him. He beheld again that aspect of infinite age, of the long weariness of time, and of physical decay.
They rode more briskly through the afternoon and at darkness saw the camp fires of Urrea glimmering ahead of them. But the night was not favorable to their plans. The sky was the usual cloudless blue of the Mexican plateau, the moon was at the full and all the stars were out. What they wanted was bad weather, hoping meanwhile the execution o
f the prisoners would not be begun until the Mexicans reached higher authority than Urrea, perhaps Santa Anna himself.
They made their own camp a full two miles from Urrea’s, and Obed and the Panther divided the watch.
Urrea started early the next morning, and so did the pursuing three. The dawn was gray, and the breeze was chill. As they rode on, the wind rose and its edge became so sharp that there was a prospect of another Norther. The Panther unrolled from his pack the most gorgeous serape that Ned had ever seen. It was of the finest material, colored a deep scarlet and it had a gold fringe.
“Fine feathers are seen afar,” said Obed.
“That’s so,” said the Panther, “but we’re not coming near enough to the Mexicans for them to catch a glimpse of this, an’ such bein’ the case I’m goin’ to put it between me an’ the cold. I’m proud of it, an’ when I wrap it aroun’ me I feel bigger an’ stronger. Its red color helps me. I think I draw strength from red, just as I do from a fine, tender buffalo steak.”
He spoke with much earnestness, and the other two did not contradict him. Meanwhile he gracefully folded the great serape about his shoulders, letting it fall to the saddle. No Mexican could have worn it more rakishly.
“That’s my shield and protector,” he said. “Now blow wind, blow snow, I’ll keep warm.”
It blew wind, but it did not blow snow. The day remained cold, but the air undoubtedly had a touch of damp.
“It may rain, and I’m sure the night will be dark,” said Obed. “We may have our chance. Fortune favors those who help themselves.”
The country became more broken, and the patches of scrub forest increased in number. Often the three rode quite near to Urrea’s men and observed them closely. The Mexicans were moving slowly, and, as the Americans had foreseen, discipline was relaxed greatly.
Near night drops of rain began to fall in their faces, and the sun set among clouds. The three rejoiced. A night, dark and wet, had come sooner than they had hoped. Obed and Ned also took out serapes, and wrapped them around their shoulders. They served now not only to protect their bodies, but to keep their firearms dry as well. Then they tethered their horses among thorn bushes about a mile from Urrea’s camp, and advanced on foot.
The Second Western Megapack Page 55
