The Texan Scouts | Page 6

army of Cos, had
organized a strong force of horsemen and was foremost among those
who were urging a new Mexican advance into Texas.
"It's pretty far west for the Mexicans," said the Panther. "We're on the
edge of the Indian country here."
But Obed considered it all the more likely that Urrea, if he meditated a
raid, would come from the west, since his approach at that point would
be suspected the least. The three held a brief discussion and soon came
to an agreement. They would continue their own ride west and look for
Urrea. Having decided so, they went into the task heart and soul,
despite its dangers.

The three rode side by side and three pairs of skilled eyes examined the
plain. The snow was left only in sheltered places or among the trees.
But the further they went the scarcer became the trees, and before night
they disappeared entirely.
"We are comin' upon the buffalo range," said the Panther. "A hundred
miles further west we'd be likely to strike big herds. When we're
through fightin' the Mexicans I'm goin' out there again. It's the life fur
me."
The night came, dark and cold, but fortunately without wind. They
camped in a dip and did not light any fire, lying as Ned had done the
night before on their horse blankets and wrapping themselves in their
own. The three horses seemed to be contented with one another and
made no noise.
They deemed it wise now to keep a watch, as they might be near
Urrea's band or Lipans might pass, and the Panther, who said he was
not sleepy at all, became sentinel. Ned, although he had not risen until
noon, was sleepy again from the long ride, and his eyes closed soon.
The last object that he saw was the Panther standing on the crest of the
swell just beyond them, rifle on shoulder, watching the moonlit plains.
Obed White was asleep already.
The Panther walked back and forth a few times and then looked down
at his comrades in the dip. His trained eyes saw their chests rising and
falling, and he knew that they were far away in the land of Nowhere.
Then he extended his walk back and forth a little further, scanning
carefully the dusky plain.
A light wind sprang up after a while, and it brought a low but heavy
and measured tread to his ears. The Panther's first impulse was to
awaken his friends, because this might be the band of Urrea, but he
hesitated a moment, and then lay down with his ear to the earth. When
he rose his uneasiness had departed and he resumed his walk back and
forth. He had heard that tread before many times and, now that it was
coming nearer, he could not mistake it, but, as the measured beat
indicated that it would pass to one side, it bore no threat for his

comrades or himself.
The Panther did not stop his walk as from a distance of a few hundred
yards he watched the great buffalo herd go by. The sound was so steady
and regular that Ned and Obed were not awakened nor were the horses
disturbed. The buffaloes showed a great black mass across the plain,
extending for fully a mile, and they were moving north at an even gait.
The Panther watched until the last had passed, and he judged that there
were fully a hundred thousand animals in the herd. He saw also the big
timber wolves hanging on the rear and flanks, ready to cut out stray
calves or those weak from old age. So busy were the wolves seeking a
chance that they did not notice the gigantic figure of the man, rifle on
shoulder, who stood on the crest of the swell looking at them as they
passed.
The Panther's eyes followed the black line of the herd until it
disappeared under the northern rim of darkness. He was wondering
why the buffaloes were traveling so steadily after daylight and he came
to the conclusion that the impelling motive was not a search for new
pastures. He listened a long time until the last rumble of the hundred
thousand died away in a faint echo, and then he awakened his
comrades.
"I'm thinkin'," he said, "that the presence of Urrea's band made the
buffaloes move. Now I'm not a Ring Tailed Panther an' a Cheerful
Talker for nothin', an' we want to hunt that band. Like as not they've
been doin' some mischief, which we may be able partly to undo. I'm in
favor of ridin' south, back on the herd track an' lookin' for 'em."
"So am I," said Obed White. "My watch says it's one o'clock in the
morning, and my watch