Under the attentions of Mrs. Allison, who was one of the women of the border, and had been for years accustomed to sudden dangers and calls for help, Ethel Norton quickly revived. In a very little while she had recovered from her fright and was able to talk; and then Bill Hutchinson introduced Walter and Ned, and they told their story once more.
“Oh!” cried the girl, when she had heard it all and realized the nature of the danger she had just escaped, “how can people be so cruel and so wicked! And,” looking from one to the other of them, “how can I thank you all for what you have done for me?”
They were still talking the situation over eagerly when the sound of horses’ hoofs came from the trail. It was the party under old Dolph and Jed.
“They never stopped,” cried Sid Hutchinson as he slid from the horse of Jed, for he had been mounted behind that adventurer. “They fired back at us, but kept right on running.”
“He means,” said Jed, with a laugh, “all of them that were able to.”
“What of Huntley and Davidge and Barker?” asked Ned, anxiously.
Old Dolph shook his head.
“They are among the ones not able to,” said he. “You youngsters need never be uneasy about them varmints any more.”
For about a week after this Ethel Norton was quite ill, and still another week passed before she felt able to travel; and the boys remained in San Antonio watching the preparations going on for receiving Santa Anna and his army; and also preparing for their own long journey across the plains toward the Red River.
Davy Crockett gave them much good advice upon this point.