e wall. There was the
battery of Santa Anna only three hundred yards from the entrance to the
main plaza and to the southeast, but little further away, was another.
The Mexicans had worked well during the night.

"They're creepin' closer, Ned. They're creepin' closer," said Crockett,
who had come to the wall before him, "but even at that range I don't
think their cannon will do us much harm. Duck, boy, duck! They're goin'
to fire!"

The two batteries opened at the same time, and the Mexican masses in the
rear, out of range, began a tremendous cheering. Many of the balls and
shells now fell inside the mission, but the Texans stayed well under
cover and they still escaped without harm. The Mexican gunners, in their
turn, kept so well protected that the Texan riflemen had little chance.

The great bombardment lasted an hour, but when it ceased, and the smoke
lifted, Ned saw a heavy mass of Mexican cavalry on the eastern road.

Both Ned and Crockett took a long look at the cavalry, a fine body of
men, some carrying lances and others muskets. Ned believed that he
recognized Urrea in the figure of their leader, but the distance was too
great for certainty. But when he spoke of it to Crockett the Tenesseean
borrowed Travis' field glasses.

"Take these," he said, "an' if it's that beloved enemy of yours you can
soon tell."

The boy, with the aid of the glasses, recognized Urrea at once. The
young leader in the uniform of a Mexican captain and with a cocked and
plumed hat upon his head sat his horse haughtily. Ned knew that he was
swelling with pride and that he, like Santa Anna, expected the trap to
shut down on the little band of Texans in a day or two. He felt some
bitterness that fate should have done so much for Urrea.

"I judge by your face," said Crockett whimsically, "that it is Urrea.
But remember, Ned, that you can still be hated and live long."

"It is indeed Urrea," said Ned. "Now what are they gathering cavalry out
there for? They can't expect to gallop over our walls."

"Guess they've an idea that we're goin' to try to slip out an' they're
shuttin' up that road of escape. Seems to me, Ned, they're comin' so
close that it's an insult to us."

"They're almost within rifle shot."

"Then these bad little Mexican boys must have their faces scorched as a
lesson. Just you wait here, Ned, till I have a talk with Travis an'
Bowie."

It was obvious to Ned that Crockett's talk with the commander and his
second