“They’ll probably hold to this trail till they get to Hamlin,” said the voice of Huntley. “We’ll leave it and strike straight across country and so beat them to the river. If we can get a boat ahead of them we might get into San Antonio three days in advance.”
Davidge was replying to this when the distance became too great for the listeners to hear. Fainter and fainter grew the hoof beats on the soft trail, and finally they died away altogether.
“Well,” said Davy Crockett, and the boys noted a pleased chuckle in his voice, “now that we’ve seen them well on their way, youngsters, suppose we mount once more and ride back to Captain Cumby’s. He’ll be expecting us.”
CHAPTER IX
TEXAS
It was a few days after this little hoax practiced on the sharpers by Colonel Crockett that the steamboat “General Morgan” tied up at the wharf and Walter Jordan and Ned Chandler got on board.
“This’ll get you into New Orleans in a little while,” said the genial backwoodsman as he shook hands with them. “And like as not you’ll get your business over and be on your way home before I leave this section.”
“You’ll stay a while, then,” said Walter.
“Cumby tells me it’ll be to my advantage,” said Crockett. “They are raising money to put a regiment into the Texan service, and he thinks I ought to join it.”
“Then,” said Ned, “as we come up the river we’ll stop off and see if you’re still around.”
“Good!” cried Crockett, and he shook hands with them again. “Do that, sure. And I’ll be glad to see you.”