f course there was an "investigation" made by the Mexican government,
but if it ever amounted to anything, George never heard of it. The
expedition certainly had a moral effect, and no doubt that was just what
the department commander wanted. A body of Mexican troops was ordered to
the river almost immediately, and after that the raiders were by no
means as bold as they had formerly been. They crossed the Rio Grande
now and then lower down, toward Eagle Pass, but the troopers there were
on the alert, and after they had thrashed the thieves a few times on
their own ground, and some of their leaders had been arrested by the
Mexican authorities, the Texans began to feel comparatively safe.

George Ackerman was kept actively employed at the fort much longer than
he thought he would be when he first went there. By order of Colonel
Brown he crossed the river on several occasions disguised in his Mexican
suit, and he always brought back some information concerning the
raiders; and once he came so near being captured by his old enemy,
Fletcher, that it was a wonder how he escaped. But long before this
happened Gus Robbins had received his discharge as a minor, and gone
back to Foxboro', a wiser if not a happier boy; Bristow had found his
way into the military prison at Fort Leavenworth; and the cattle-thieves
whom Bob Owens had captured at the squatter's cabin had been turned over
to the civil authorities. George did all he could to secure Springer's
release, but his efforts were unavailing, and with his companions he was
sentenced to the penitentiary for a long term of years. Mr. Wentworth
had come out all right. With the aid of his friend, Mr. Holmes, he had
gathered up all his cattle that had been stampeded by the Mexican
raiders, and rebuilt his ranche in a more substantial manner, and he and
his boys made it a point to visit the post very frequently to see the
men who had rendered them such signal service.

The months wore on, the raids in Colonel Brown's district grew less and
less frequent until they ceased altogether, and then the colonel told
George that he might go home if he so desired. He did desire it, for he
was growing tired of life among the soldiers, and besides, he knew it
would be a waste of time for him to remain at the fort when he could no
longer be of any use there. So, after taking leave of the officers and
of the men who had accompanied him on his expeditions, he mounted his
horse, took his pack-mule by