im light over the brown faces.

Travis stood before them and spoke to them.

"Men," he said, "all of you know what I know, that we stand alone. No
help is coming for us. The Texans cannot send it or it would have come.
For ten days we have beaten off every attack of a large army. But
another assault in much greater force is at hand. It is not likely that
we can repel it. You have seen the red flag of no quarter flying day
after day over the church, and you know what it means. Santa Anna never
gives mercy. It is likely that we shall all fall, but, if any man wishes
to go, I, your leader, do not order him to stay. You have all done your
duty ten times over. There is just a chance to escape over the walls and
in the darkness. Now go and save your lives if you can."

"We stay," came the deep rumble of many voices together. One man slipped
quietly away a little later, but he was the only one. Save for him,
there was no thought of flight in the minds of that heroic band.

Ned's heart thrilled and the blood pounded in his ears. Life was
precious, doubly so, because he was so young, but he felt a strange
exaltation in the face of death, an exaltation that left no room for
fear.

The eyes of Travis glistened when he heard the reply.

"It is what I expected," he said. "I knew that every one of you was
willing to die for Texas. Now, lads, we will go back to the walls and
wait for Santa Anna."

CHAPTER XII

BEFORE THE DICTATOR

Ned's feeling of exaltation lasted. The long siege, the incessant danger
and excitement, and the wonderful way in which the little band of Texans
had kept a whole army at bay had keyed him up to a pitch in which he was
not himself, in which he was something a little more than human. Such
extraordinary moments come to few people, and his vivid, imaginative
mind was thrilled to the utmost.

He was on the early watch, and he mounted the wall of the church. The
deep silence which marked the beginning of the night still prevailed.
They had not heard any shots, and for that reason they all felt that the
messenger had got through with Travis' last letter.

It was very dark that night and Ned could not see the red flag on the
tower of the church of San Fernando. But he knew it was there, waving a
little in the soft wind which blew out of the southwest, herald of
spring. Nothing broke the silence. After so much noise, it was ominous,
oppressive, surcharged with threats. Fewer lights than usual bu