he covert, put his curved hand to his mouth, and
uttered a long piercing cry. The three horsemen stopped at once, and the
giant in the lead gave back the signal in the same fashion. Then the two
little parties rode rapidly toward each other. While they were yet fifty
yards apart they uttered words of hail and good fellowship, and when
they met they shook hands with the friendship that has been sealed by
common hardships and dangers.

"You're goin' toward the Alamo?" said Smith.

"Yes," replied the Panther. "We started that way several days ago, but
we've been delayed. We had a brush with one little party of Mexicans,
and we had to dodge another that was too big for us. I take it that you
ride for the same place."

"We do. Were you with Fannin?"

The dark face of the Panther grew darker.

"We were," he replied. "He started to the relief of the Alamo, but the
ammunition wagon broke down, an' they couldn't get the cannon across the
San Antonio River. So me an' Obed White an' Will Allen here have come on
alone."

"News for news," said Smith dryly. "Texas has just been made a free an'
independent republic, an' Sam Houston has been made commander-in-chief
of all its mighty armies, horse, foot an' cannon. We saw all them things
done back there at Washington settlement, an' we, bein' a part of the
army, are ridin' to the relief of the Alamo."

"We j'in you, then," said the Panther, "an' Texas raises two armies of
the strength of three an' two to one of five. Oh, if only all the Texans
had come what a roarin' an' rippin' an' t'arin' and chawin' there would
have been when we struck Santa Anna's army, no matter how big it might
be."

"But they didn't come," said Smith grimly, "an' as far as I know we five
are all the Texans that are ridin' toward San Antonio de Bexar an' the
Alamo."

"But bein' only five won't keep us from ridin' on," said the Panther.

"And things are not always as bad as they look," said Obed White, after
he had heard of the messenger who had come to Houston and Unmet. "It's
never too late to hope."

The five rode fast the remainder of the day. They passed through a
silent and desolate land. They saw a few cabins, but every one was
abandoned. The deep sense of tragedy was over them all, even over young
Will Allen. They rarely spoke, and they rode along in silence, save for
the beat of their horses' hoofs. Shortly before night they met a lone
buffalo hunter whom the Panther knew.

"Have you been c