with his friends Obed and the Ring Tailed Panther. He was
utterly exhausted, and even in the dusk the men noticed it.

"Here, Ned," said Obed, "take a chew of this. You may not feel that you
need it, but it will be a good thing for you."

He extended a strip of dried venison. Ned thanked him and ate, although
he had not felt hungry. By and by he grew stronger, and then Bowie
called to him.

"Ned," he said, "crawl across the floor again. Be sure you do not raise
your head until you reach the wall. Then ring the bell, until I tell you
to stop. I've a notion that somebody will come by morning. Boys, the
rest of you be ready with your rifles. It was the bell before that
brought on the attack."

Ned slid across the floor, and once more pulled the rope with the old
fervor, sending the notes of the tune that he could play best far out
over the valley of the San Antonio. But no reply came from the
Comanches. They did not dare to rush the place again in the face of
those deadly Texan rifles. They made no sound while the bell played on,
but the Texans knew that they still lay behind the adobe wall, ready for
a shot at any incautious head.

Ned rang for a full half hour, before Bowie told him to quit. Then he
crept back to his place. He put his head on his folded blanket and,
although not intending it, fell asleep, despite the close air of the
place. But he awoke before it was dawn, and hastily sat up, ashamed.
When he saw in the dark that half the men were asleep he was ashamed no
longer. Bowie, who was standing by one of the doors, but sheltered from
a shot, smiled at him.

"The sun will rise in a half hour, Ned," he said, "and you've waked up
in time to hear the answer to your ringing of the bell. Listen!"

Ned strained his ears, and he heard a faint far sound, musical like his
own call. It seemed to him to be the note of a trumpet.

"Horsemen are coming," said Bowie, "and unless I am far wrong they are
Texans. Ring again, Ned."

The bell boomed forth once more, and for the last time. Clear and sharp,
came the peal of the trumpet in answer. One by one the men awoke. The
light was now appearing in the East, the gray trembling into silver.
From the valley came the rapid beat of hoofs, a rifle shot and then
three or four more. Bowie ran out at the door, and Ned followed him.
Across the meadows the Comanches scurried on their ponies, and a group
of white men sent a volley after them. Then the white men galloped
toward th