off the
feeling of depression. They might linger and hesitate now, but he did
not doubt that the cause of Texas would triumph in the end.

Ned was restless that night, so restless that he could not sleep, and,
after a futile effort, he rose, folded up his blankets and wandered
about the camp. It was a body of volunteers drawn together by patriotism
and necessity for a common purpose, and one could do almost as one
pleased. There was a ring of sentinels, but everybody knew everybody
else and scouts, skirmishers and foragers passed at will.

Ned was fully armed, of course, and, leaving the camp, he entered an oak
grove that lay between it and the city. As there was no underbrush here
and little chance for ambush he felt quite safe. Behind him he saw the
camp and the lights of the scattered fires now dying, but before him he
saw only the trunks of the trees and the dusky horizon beyond.

Ned had no definite object in view, but he thought vaguely of scouting
along the river. One could never know too much about the opposing force,
and experience added to natural gifts had given him great capabilities.

He advanced deeper into the pecan grove, and reached the point where the
trees grew thickest. There, where the moonlight fell he saw a shadow
lying along the ground, the shadow of a man. Ned sprang behind a tree
and lay almost flat. The shadow had moved, but he could still see a
head. He felt sure that its owner was behind another tree not yet ten
feet distant. Perhaps some Mexican scout like himself. On the other
hand, it might be Smith or Karnes, and he called softly.

No answer came to his call. Some freak of the moonlight still kept the
shadowy head in view, while its owner remained completely hidden,
unconscious, perhaps, that any part of his reflection was showing. Ned
did not know what to do. After waiting a long time, and, seeing that the
shadow did not move, he edged his way partly around the trunk, and
stopped where he was still protected by the ground and the tree. He saw
the shadowy head shift to the same extent that he had moved, but he
heard no sound.

He called again and more loudly. He said: "I am a Texan; if you are a
friend, say so!" No one would mistake his voice for that of a Mexican.
No reply came from behind the tree.

Ned was annoyed. This was most puzzling and he did not like puzzles.
Moreover, his situation was dangerous. If he left his tree, the man
behind the other one--and he did not doubt no