"I could shoot him from here," whispered the Panther, who evidently was
influenced in a similar way, "then reach our horses an' get away. It
might be a good deed, an' it might save our lives, Ned, but I'm not able
to force myself to do it."

"Nor I," said Ned. "I can't shoot an enemy from ambush."

Urrea and the other men at the fire, all of whom were in the dress of
officers, were in a deep talk. Ned inferred that the subject must be of
much importance, since they sat awake, discussing it between midnight
and morning.

"Look beyond the fire at the figures leanin' against the trees,"
whispered the Panther.

Ned looked and hot anger rose in his veins.

CHAPTER II

THE CAPTIVES

Ned had not noticed at first, but, since his eyes were growing used to
the dim light, and since the Panther had pointed the way, he saw a dozen
men, arms bound tightly behind them, leaning against the trees. They
were prisoners and he knew instinctively that they were Texans. His
blood, hot at first, now chilled in his veins. They had been captured by
Urrea in a raid, and as Santa Anna had decreed that all Texans were
rebels who should be executed when taken, they would surely die, unless
rescue came.

"What shall we do?" he whispered.

"Nothing now," replied the Panther, in the same soft tone, "but if you
an' Obed are with me we'll follow this crowd, an' maybe we can get the
Texans away from 'em. It's likely that Urrea will cross the Rio Grande
an' go down into Mexico to meet Cos or Santa Anna. Are you game enough
to go, Ned? I'm a Ring Tailed Panther an' a roarin' grizzly bear, but I
don't like to follow all by myself."

"I'm with you," said Ned, "if I have to go all the way back to the City
of Mexico, an' I know that I can speak for Obed, too."

"I jest asked as a matter of form," said the Panther. "I knowed before
askin' that you an' Obed would stick to me."

There was a sudden gust of wind at that moment and the light of the fire
sprang higher. The flames threw a glow across the faces of the
prisoners. Most of them were asleep, but Ned saw them very distinctly
now. One was a boy but little older than himself, his face pale and
worn. Near him was an old man, with a face very uncommon on the border.
His features were those of a scholar and ascetic. His cheeks were thin,
and thick white hair crowned a broad white brow. Ned felt instinctively
that he was a man of importance.

Both the boy and the man slept the sleep of u