“But the general’s letting the centre column get ahead of us,” hazarded Ernest.
“No, he isn’t. He’s letting it get in front of us, and that means we’re behind it. It’s got to look two ways, now. And it’s marching further and further, and separating more and more from the other columns. Sam Houston wants it to run on the rope a bit longer; then he’ll lick it, and have time to tend to the others. That’s my notion of what Sam Houston is up to.”
“Where do you think they’re going, Dick?”
“Who? The centre column that crossed the Brazos? To Harrisburg, I reckon, and try to capture the government cabinet.”
“Is Santa Anna with them?”
“Don’t know. Nobody seems to know yet. But we’ll find out. About twenty miles beyond here the road forks: one fork continues on east to the Trinity and Nacogdoches, the other fork bends south for Harrisburg. And if we don’t take the south fork I miss my guess.”
It was generally known that all the companies down the Brazos had been ordered to meet the main body at Donoho’s Ranch, five miles east. This looked like business. To-night the camp was more cheerful. The fife played the tune “Will You Come to the Bower,” some of the men sang, and even Jim and Leo sought their blankets less disgruntled.
The next noon, of April 14, camp was made at Donoho’s, to await the companies that had been ordered up from below. This camp was rather hard on the Donoho place, for most of the fence rails were torn down to feed the camp fires. A number of refugee families were collected here on their flight to the Trinity River and eastward still. Jim looked in vain for his “folks.” The wearied outfits with their carts and oxen hastened onward, fearful lest the army pass them and leave them exposed to the enemy.
Captain Baker arrived to report that his company were on hand, camped by the road about three miles further on. Captain Martin also came in. He said, very distinctly: