thickest forest they could find,
and, feeling that they were now too far east to be in any serious danger
from the Mexicans, they lighted a fire, warmed their food, and made
coffee, having replenished their supplies at the last settlement. Obed
White was the coffee maker, heating it in a tin pot with a metal bottom.
They had only one cup, which they used in turn, but the warm food and
drink were very grateful to them after their hard riding.

"Keeping in good condition is about three-fourths of war," said Obed in
an oracular tone. "He who eats and runs away will live to eat another
day. Besides, Napoleon said that an army marched better on a full
stomach, or something like it."

"That applied to infantry," said Will Allen. "We march on our horses."

"Some day," said Ned, "when we've beaten Santa Anna and driven all the
Mexicans out of Texas, I'm going back and hunt for Old Jack. He and I
are too good friends to part forever. I found him, after abandoning him
the first time, and I believe I can do it again, after leaving him the
second time."

"Of course you can," said the Panther cheerily. "Old Jack is a horse
that will never stay lost. Now, I think we'd better put out our fire and
go to sleep. The horses will let us know if any enemy comes."

All were soon slumbering peacefully in their blankets, but Ned, who had
slept so much the night before, awakened in two or three hours. He
believed, at first, that a distant sound had broken his sleep, but when
he sat up he heard nothing. Five dusky figures lay in a row near him.
They were those of his comrades, and he heard their steady breathing.
Certainly they slept well. He lay down again, but he remained wide
awake, and, when his ear touched the ground, he seemed to hear the faint
and distant sound again.

He rose and looked at the horses. They had not moved, and it was quite
evident that they had detected no hostile presence. But Ned was not
satisfied. Putting his rifle on his shoulder he slipped through the
forest to the edge of the prairie. Long before he was there he knew that
he had not been deceived by fancy.

He saw, two or three hundred yards in front of him, a long file of
cavalry marching over the prairie, going swiftly and straight ahead, as
if bent upon some purpose well defined. A good moon and abundant stars
furnished plenty of light, and Ned saw that the force was Mexican. There
were no lancers, all the men carrying rifles or muskets, and Ned
believed t