restless lot we
are an' it's time to move on again."

Ned ate and drank in silence. His nerves were quite steady, and he had
become so used to battle that he awaited whatever they were going to
attempt, almost without curiosity.

"Ain't you wantin' to know what we're goin' to do, Ned?" asked the Ring
Tailed Panther.

"I'm thinking that I'll find out pretty quick," replied Ned.

"Now this boy is shorely makin' a fine soldier," said the Panther to
Obed. "He don't ask nothin' about what he's goin' to do, but just eats
an' waits orders."

Ned smiled and ate another corn cake.

"Maybe," said Obed, "we'll meet our friend Urrea in the attack we're
going to make. If so, I'll take a shot at him, and I won't have any
remorse about it, either, if I hit him."

They did not wait long. A strong body of the Texans gathered on the
lower floor, many carrying, in addition to their weapons, heavy iron
crowbars. The doors were suddenly thrown open and they rushed out into
the cool morning air, making for a series of stone houses called the
Zambrano Row, the farthest of which opened upon the main plaza, where
the Mexicans were fortified so strongly. Scattering shots from muskets
and rifles greeted them, but as usual, when any sudden movement
occurred, the Mexicans fired wildly, and the Texans broke into the first
of the houses, before they could take good aim.

Ned was one of the last inside. He had lingered with the others to repel
any rush that the Mexicans might make. He was watching the Mexican
barricade, and he saw heads rise above it. One rose higher than the rest
and he recognized Urrea. The Mexican saw Ned also, and the eyes of the
two met. Urrea's were full of anger and malice, and raising his rifle
he fired straight at the boy. Ned felt the bullet graze his cheek, and
instantly he fired in reply. But Urrea had quickly dropped down behind
the barricade and the bullet missed. Then Ned rushed into the house.

The boy was blazing with indignation. He had spared Urrea's life, and
yet the Mexican had sought at the first opportunity to kill him. He
could not understand a soul of such caliber. But the incident passed
from his mind, for the time being, in the strenuous work that they began
now to do.

They broke through partition wall after wall with their powerful picks
and crowbars. Stones fell about them. Plaster and dust rained down, but
the men relieving one another, the work with the heavy tools was never
stopped until