dependent republic. It was so decided last
night, and we've got nothing more to do now but to whip a nation of
eight millions, the fifty thousand of us."

"Well," said Smith philosophically, "it's a tough job, but it might be
did. I've heard tell that them old Greeks whipped the Persians when the
odds were powerful high against them."

"That is true," said Burnet, "and we can at least try. We give the
reason for declaring our independence. We assert to the world that the
Mexican republic has become a military despotism, that our agents
carrying petitions have been thrown in dungeons in the City of Mexico,
that we have been ordered to give up the arms necessary for our defence
against the savages, and that we have been deprived of every right
guaranteed to us when we settled here."

"We're glad it's done, although we knew it would be done," said Smith.
"We ain't much on talkin', Mr. President, Hank an' me, but we can shoot
pretty straight, an' we're at your call."

"I know that, God bless you both," said Burnet. "The talking is over.
It's rifles that we need and plenty of them. Now I've to see Houston.
We're to talk over ways and means."

He hurried away, and the two, settling back into their chairs on the
porch, relighted their pipes and smoked calmly.

"Reckon there'll be nothin' doin' for a day or two, Hank," said Smith.

"Reckon not, but we'll have to be doin' a powerful lot later, or be
hoofin' it for the tall timber a thousand miles north."

"You always was full of sense, Hank. Now there goes Sam Houston. Queer
stories about his leavin' Tennessee and his life in the Indian
Territory."

"That's so, but he's an honest man, looks far ahead, an' 'tween you an'
me, 'Deaf,' it's a thousand to one that he's to lead us in the war."

"Reckon you're guessin' good."

Houston, who had just awakened and dressed, was walking across the grass
and weeds to meet Burnet. Not even he, when he looked at the tiny
village and the wilderness spreading about it, foresaw how mighty a
state was to rise from beginnings so humble and so small. He and Burnet
went back into the convention hall, and he wrote a fiery appeal to the
people. He said that the Alamo was beleaguered and "the citizens of
Texas must rally to the aid of our army or it will perish."

Smith and Karnes remained while the convention continued its work. They
did little ostensibly but smoke their cob pipes, but they observed
everything and thought deeply. On Sunda