aps it was Davy Crockett, the great marksman,
who had fired that shot. He liked to think that it was so, and he
rejoiced also at this certain evidence that the little garrison was as
dauntless as ever. He watched the Alamo for nearly an hour, and he saw
that the firing was desultory. Not more than a dozen cannon shots were
fired during that time, and only three or four rifles replied from the
Alamo. Toward noon the firing ceased entirely, and Ned knew that this
was in very fact and truth the lull before the storm.

His attention wandered to his guards. They were mere peons, but,
although watchful, they were taking their ease. Evidently they liked
their task. They were resting with the complete relaxation of the body
that only the Southern races know. Both had lighted cigarritos, and were
puffing at them contentedly. It had been a long time since Ned had seen
such a picture of lazy ease.

"You like it here?" he said to the nearest.

The man took the cigarrito from his mouth, emitted smoke from his nose
and replied politely:

"It is better to be here lying in the sun than out there on the grass
with a Texan bullet through one's body. Is it not so, Fernando?"

"Aye, it is so," replied his comrade. "I like not the Texan bullets. I
am glad to be here where they cannot reach me. It is said that Satan
sights their rifles for them, because they do not miss. They will die
hard to-morrow. They will die like the bear in its den, fighting the
hunters, when our army is poured upon them. That will be an end to all
the Texans, and we will go back to the warm south."

"But are you sure," asked Ned, "that it will be an end of the Texans?
Not all the Texans are shut up in the Alamo."

"What matters it?" replied Fernando, lightly. "It may be delayed, but
the end will be the same. Nothing can resist the great, the powerful,
the most illustrious Santa Anna. He is always able to dig graves for his
enemies."

The men talked further. Ned gathered from them that the whole force of
Santa Anna was now present. Some of his officers wanted him to wait for
siege artillery of the heaviest caliber that would batter down the walls
of the Alamo, but the dictator himself was impatient for the assault. It
would certainly take place the next morning.

"And why is the young senor here?" asked Fernando. "The order has been
issued that no Texan shall be spared, and do you not see the red flag
waving there close by us?"

Ned looked up. The red flag