The Lost Gold of the Montezumas Part 31

"Git right along," came cheerily back from one of the riflemen. "Thar ain't any white feathers a-flyin' in this crowd. We're all with ye.

Hurrah for Texas!"

"Forward, march!" shouted the colonel. "Every mile is worth blood.

Boy, let 'em give you another mount. That thar mustang o' your'n is played out."

There was no more travel in him, at all events, and he was quickly turned loose to s.h.i.+ft for himself, while all that had been on him was going westward upon a comparatively fresh and lively pony.

"It 'll be about two days' riding," remarked Smith, "at the rate we'll have to go. When we get thar, we'll have to take our chances for findin' our way into the fort."

"We'll get in," they all agreed, but just how they expected to do it did not appear. On they rode, and their camp that night had the appearance of a picnic rather than of the bivouac of a handful of adventurers who were on their way to cut a path for themselves through a hostile army to almost certain death.

The Mexican general held a council of war that evening, and its session lasted late into the night, for there were ample refreshments upon the table in his marquee.

It was not a cheerful council, for the reports of the army surgeons were rendered, and they were unpleasant reading. So appeared to be several despatches which had but just arrived.

"General," exclaimed General Cos, when his commander had announced their contents, "the sinking of that barge in the Nueces is a greater disaster to us than is to-day's repulse. With those two heavy guns we could have made a breach in the wall in an hour."

"We must make one somehow," replied Santa Anna, "since you all disapprove of a night a.s.sault. Castrillon, ma.s.s your batteries to-morrow and play all your shot upon one point. Make every shot tell.

It's only a matter of time."

"So!" replied the artillery officer. "The breach can be made. And all the while the garrison will be eating up its supplies."

"So will we," laughed General Cos, "but we've a big drove of cattle coming. We can live on beef and water till we have crushed this den of Gringo tigers."

The tigers themselves in their fort-den were resting quietly, all but one, for the commander of the Alamo was pacing up and down slowly, thoughtfully, in the plaza. No doubt it behooved him to be wakeful, but once, when he paused in his promenade, he said, half aloud,--

"I hope Jim Carson got through. Crockett feels pretty sure that he did. Then my wife will get my last letter. I want her to know that I did my duty and died like a man. I had hoped to live in Texas and see it grow up to be something, but it's no use talking of that now. Our time has come. Not a man of us will ever get out of this place alive.

And all because Sam Houston can't raise cash enough to feed his men on a march."

He laughed satirically, and the sentry at the gate and the watchers at the loop-holes heard him. It did them good to know that he was so merry.

The night waned toward the dawn. Just in the gray mist of the dark hour the riflemen under Colonel Smith had risen and they were busy around their camp-fires. They had no idea of any enemy being near them, but suddenly they were startled by a loud "whoop!"

"That redskin!" shouted Smith, s.n.a.t.c.hing his rifle and das.h.i.+ng out of the camp. "Come on, boys! Something's up!"

They were following fast, but he was well ahead, and he came out into the road in time to hear a shrill voice beyond him in the mist demanding,--

"Jim heap halt! Ugh! Red Wolf! Heap Texan!"

"You young sarpent, are you here?" came back from a man on horseback.

"Do you mean to say that some of our men are nigh around?"

"Who goes thar?" shouted Smith.

"Carson, from the Alamo," responded the messenger. "Who are you?"

"Friend of Big Knife," suggested Red Wolf to the colonel. "Ranger."

"All right!" shouted back Smith. "Dismount and come in. We're on our way to jine the garrison. How are things?"

"Well," replied Carson, as he came to the ground, "when I came away Santa Anna had just fairly got into position. I had to snake it through his lines to carry despatches to Houston. Jest you look here, though. Don't you believe I left without orders. Somebody had to come. I'm coming right back to the fort soon as I've done my arr'nd."

"Bully for you!" shouted a rifleman. "That's what we're here for.

Come along now and git yer rations."

"I might ha' gone by ye if it hadn't been for Red Wolf," said Carson, as they went along. "Bowie says he's the brightest chap of his age that he ever knew. He can't say that he ever saw him asleep. He can guide ye into the fort when you git thar."

"We'll git in," replied Smith. "I reckon Travis 'll be glad we met you. Every rifle's going to count in such a fight as this promises to be."

"You bet!" said Jim. "I felt bad about coming away, but I gave up my chance there to please Travis. You'll see me inside the walls before many days. You will!"

CHAPTER XX.

NEARING THE END.

The siege of the Alamo had lasted during eight long, terrible days.

There had been a great deal of severe skirmis.h.i.+ng, in which the Mexicans had suffered losses every time they drew too near the walls.

The blockade, however, had become so close and vigilant that it was no longer possible for any bearer of despatches to get out or in. Out of several that had been sent, it was understood that two only had escaped capture and immediate execution. From those who had reached him General Houston was informed as to the condition of affairs at the fort. The deepest sympathy was felt for the beleaguered patriots and preparations for their relief were going on. Precious cargoes of army supplies had arrived from New Orleans in spite of Mexican war-vessels cruising in the Gulf. Troops were getting ready. One train of wagons accompanied by a force of riflemen was already a number of miles upon its way, with a vague idea that it might somehow evade the army of Santa Anna. Men a.s.sured one another that if the garrison could only hold out a few days longer all would be well.

Colonel Travis and his men had held their own remarkably. They even seemed but little fatigued by their long watching, their readiness to be called to the shot-holes at any hour of day or night. They were exceedingly tough and hardy men. They would have been in good spirits if it had not been for two things. One of these sombre considerations was the condition of about ten yards of the southerly wall of the plaza. This was crumbling under the continual pelting of Castrillon's guns. Most of it was nearly level with the ground, and the gap had been feebly filled with such pieces of timber and other materials as could be had. Loose earth had been heaped upon them, but the slight barrier so constructed was at the mercy of cannon-b.a.l.l.s. The other point was even more important.

"Colonel Travis," reported Sergeant Daly that morning, "thar's only half a dozen rounds for the cannon. The last ounce of power and the last bullet have been sarved out to the men. Thar isn't enough for an hour's shootin' if the next fight turns out a hot one."

"Oh, G.o.d! If Houston knew!" groaned the commander. "Why doesn't help come? Daly, don't say a word to the men. It's possible that the Greasers may not make another attack----"

"We've killed a heap of 'em," replied the brave artilleryman. "But what on 'arth are guns good for without ammunition?"

"We won't surrender, if we've nothing left to fight with but our knives!"

"Colonel!" exclaimed Daly. "The men wanted me to ask you that question. They know just the fix we're in. You won't surrender?"

"I won't!" said Travis, firmly.

"Thank G.o.d!" almost shouted Daly. "We want to die like men, with arms in our hands. We don't want to be led out and butchered."

"The boys needn't be afraid that I'll go back on 'em," replied the colonel. "I won't rob them of their last rights. If we've got to die, we'll go down fighting."

"That's all I wanted to know," said Daly, and away he strode to tell his comrades that they were in no danger of being betrayed unarmed into the hands of Santa Anna.

Hardly had he gone before there came a hail and a response at the great gate, and two men stood before it. One of them wore the uniform of the Mexican army and the other almost no uniform at all.

"Jim Carson! Castro!" had been loudly announced by the sentry.

"Let 'em in, quick!" shouted Travis. "You don't know who's behind 'em."