soar far;

"'Up with your banner, Freedom,
Thy champions cling to thee,
They'll follow where'er you lead them
To death or victory.
Up with your banner, Freedom.'"

He merely hummed the words, but Ned caught his spirit and he repeated to
himself: "Up with your banner, Freedom."

"I guess you've heard enough tales from an old fellow like me," said
Crockett. "At least you won't have time to hear any more 'cause the
Mexicans must be moving out there. Do you hear anything, Ned?"

"Nothing but a little wind."

"Then my ears must be deceivin' me. I've used 'em such a long time that
I guess they feel they've got a right to trick me once in a while."

But Ned was thinking just then of the great city which he wanted to see
some day as Crockett had seen it. But it seemed to him at that moment as
far away as the moon. Would his comrades and he ever escape from those
walls?

His mind came back with a jerk. He did hear something on the plain.
Crockett was right. He heard the tread of horses and the sound of wheels
moving. He called the attention of Crockett to the noises.

"I think I know what causes them," said Crockett. "Santa Anna is
planting his battery under the cover of the night an' I don't see, boys,
how we're goin' to keep him from doin' it."

The best of the Texan sharpshooters lined the walls, and they fired
occasionally at indistinct and flitting figures, but they were quite
certain that they did no execution. The darkness was too great. Travis,
Bowie and Crockett considered the possibility of a sortie, but they
decided that it had no chance of success. The few score Texans would be
overwhelmed in the open plain by the thousands of Mexicans.

But all the leaders were uneasy. If the Mexican batteries were brought
much closer, and were protected by earthworks and other fortifications,
the Alamo would be much less defensible. It was decided to send another
messenger for help, and Ned saw Bonham drop over the rear wall and slip
away in the darkness. He was to go to Goliad, where Fannin had 300 men
and four guns, and bring them in haste.

When Bonham was gone Ned returned to his place on the wall. For hours he
heard the noises without, the distant sound of voices, the heavy clank
of metal against metal, and he knew full well that Santa Anna was
planting his batteries. At last he went to his place in the long room of
the hospital and slept.

When dawn came he sprang up and rushed to th