irst, with the bloodhound trotting along by the side of
his horse. Just as he was opposite, we heard a loud, shrill whistle,
and the Mexicans halted with a look of uneasiness. They weren't left to
wonder long, for in a moment there was a trampling of horses, and down
came our fellows on both sides of them. Just before they got up we
stepped forward with our rifles up. "El Zeres!" Rube shouted; and
startled as the Mexican was, he looked round. He had just time to see
who it was, when Rube's ball hit him in the head, and down he went as
dead as a stone. The hound turned and came right at us with a deep growl
of rage. I sent a ball through his chest and rolled him over, and just
as I did so our fellows came down upon the Mexicans. It was a fierce
fight, for the Mexicans were in a trap, and knew that there was no mercy
for them. Rube and I sprang out, and paid a good many of 'em off for the
scare they had given us. We wiped them right out to the last man, losing
only six ourselves. I don't know as ever I see a better skrimmage while
it lasted. After it was over, Rube and I mounted two of their horses,
and rode on with the rest of them to San Miguel; but before we started
off we told our story to the Cap, and he sent a couple of men back with
a despatch to the general, asking for five hundred men to destroy El
Zeres' band at a blow. We stopped at Pepita's, and I never see a girl
have a much worse scare than we gave her. She made sure it was El
Zeres, and came running out to see if he had caught us; and when she
found that she had fallen into the hands of the Rangers, and that we
were among them, she was as white as a shirt in a minute. She was plucky
enough, though; for as soon as she could get her tongue, she cursed us
like a wild woman. I expect she made sure we should have shot her for
her treachery,--and a good many of our bands would have done so right on
end,--but the Rangers never touched women. However, she warn't to go
scot free; so we got fire, and set the house and stable in a blaze. As
we rode off Rube shouted out, "If you change your mind again about
coming with me to Missouri, you just drop me a line, Pepita." I thought,
as I looked at her, it was lucky for Rube she hadn't a rifle in her
hand; she'd have shot him if she had been hung for it a minute
afterwards. We rode on to San Miguel, took Col. Cabra prisoner, with his
papers, and sent him back under an escort. At dusk the same day we got
on our horses and rode