ack be made upon San Antonio. At last Burleson
exclaimed:

"Well, if you can get volunteers to attack, go and attack!"

Milam turned, faced the crowd and raised his hand.

There was a sudden hush save for the deep breathing of many men. Then
in a loud, clear voice Milam spoke only ten words. They were:

"Who will go with old Ben Milam into San Antonio?"

And a hundred voices roared a single word in reply. It was:

"I!"

"That settles it," said the Ring Tailed Panther with deep satisfaction.
"Old Satan himself couldn't stop the attack now."

The word was given that the volunteers for the direct attack, three
hundred in number, would gather at an old mill half way between the camp
and the town. Thence they would march on foot for the assault. Ned and
his comrades were among the first to gather at the mill and he waited as
calmly as he could, while the whole force was assembled, three hundred
lean, brown men, large of bone and long of limb.

No light was allowed, and the night was cold. The figures of the men
looked like phantoms in the dusk. Ned stood with his friends, while
Milam gave the directions. They were to be divided into two forces. One
under Milam was to enter the town by the street called Acequia, and the
other under Colonel Johnson was to penetrate by Soledad Street. They
relied upon the neglect of the Mexicans to get so far, before the battle
began. Burleson, with the remainder of his men would attack the ancient
mission, then turned into a fort, called the Alamo.

"Deaf" Smith, who knew the town thoroughly, led Johnson's column, and
Ned, Obed and the Ring Tailed Panther were just behind him.

Ned was quivering in every nerve with excitement and suspense, but he
let no one see it. He moved forward with steady step and he heard behind
him the soft tread of the men who intended to get into San Antonio
without being seen. He looked back at them. They came in the dusk like
so many shadows and no one spoke. It was like a procession of ghosts,
moving into a sleeping town. The chill wind cut across their faces, but
no one at that moment took notice of cold.

High over Ned's head a great star danced and twinkled, and it seemed to
him that it was the Texan Star springing out.

The houses of the town rose out of the darkness. Ned saw off to right
and left fresh earthworks and rifle pits, but either no men were
stationed there or they slept. The figure of Smith led steadily on and
behind came the long and