flight of the Mexican soldiers twenty-five
or thirty had been taken and they were held outside. The Texans not
knowing what to do with them decided to release them later on parole.

Ned was about to leave Sandoval's room when he met at the door a young
man, perspiring, wild of eye and bearing all the other signs of haste
and excitement. It was Francisco Urrea.

"I am too late!" he cried. "Alas! Alas! I would have had a share in this
glorious combat! I should like to have taken Sandoval with my own hand!
I have cause to hate that man!"

Sandoval was sitting on the edge of his bed, and the eyes of the two
Mexicans flashed anger at each other, Urrea went up, and shook his hand
in the face of Sandoval. Sandoval shook his in the face of Urrea. Wrath
was equal between them. Fierce words were exchanged with such swiftness
that Ned could not understand them. He judged that the young Mexican
must have some deep cause for hatred of Sandoval. But the Ring Tailed
Panther interfered. He did not like this trait of abusing a fallen foe
which he considered typically Mexican.

"Come away, Don Francisco," he said. "The rippin' an' tearin' are over
an' we can do our roarin' outside!"

He took Urrea by the arm and led him away. Ned preceded them. Outside he
met Obed who was in the highest spirits.

"We've done more than capture Mexicans," he said. "It never rains but it
turns into a storm. We've gone through the Mexican barracks and we've
made a big haul here. Let's take a look."

Ned went with him, and, when he saw, he too exulted. Goliad had been
made a place of supply by the Mexicans, and, stored there, the Texans
had taken a vast quantity of ammunition, rounds of powder and lead to
the scores of thousands, five hundred rifles and three fine cannon. Some
of the Texans joined hands in a wild Indian dance, when they saw their
spoils, and the eyes of Ned and Obed glistened.

"Unto the righteous shall be given," said Obed. "We've done far better
to-night than we hoped. We'll need these in the advance on Cos and San
Antonio."

"They will be of the greatest service," said Urrea who joined them at
that moment. "How I envy you your glory!"

"What happened to you, Don Francisco?" asked Obed.

"I carried the warning to my uncle and his family," replied Urrea. "I
was just in time. Guerrillas of Cos came an hour later, and burned the
house to the ground. They destroyed everything, the stables and barns,
and they even killed the horses