The column was halted, to wait.
“Listen to the drum!” exclaimed Jim, as he and Ernest sat their saddles, watching. “They’ve got a drum!—and a fife!”
To brave beat of drum and piping of fife, amidst welcoming cheers the new troops arrived. Three companies they proved to be—numbering only 130 men in all—under command of Major John Forbes: Captain Amasa Turner’s company of regular infantry, and two companies of volunteers. They brought no cannon, and few horses; but, of great importance to Jim and Ernest, and Sion, they brought Leo Roark! From the wearied ranks he gaily waved response to his cavalry friends, and Sion also called his attention with a series of loud whoops.
The three companies fell into the place assigned to them by General Houston, and marched on, the drum rattling merrily and the fife tooting lustily. Music for the army!
That night at camp the four veterans of San Antonio had a reunion.
“What’s the meaning of this march, anyhow?” demanded Leo. “You-all are heading the wrong way.”
“We’re going to retreat till we can lick the Mexicans one bunch at a time,” answered Ernest.
“One man at a time, he ought to say,” growled Sion.
“Where are all your men, from your part of the country?” accused Jim of Leo. “We counted on five hundred of you. You’d better have left your drum and fife at home and brought cannon and mules.”
“Fetched in what men we could,” retorted Leo. “If you keep on retreating you won’t get anybody! The people want their homes protected. They aren’t going to fall back and leave their families. First they heard of the Alamo massacre, and now they’re hearing about Fannin’s defeat. When I left home my mother and the family were all packed up, ready to light out.”