True to Obed's prediction, the night deepened somewhat within the hour. Many of the stars were hidden by floating wisps of cloud, and objects could not be seen far on the dusky surface of the plain. But the increased darkness only made the scarlet glow in the south deepen. It seemed, too, to spread far to right and left.
"That's a big force," said the Panther. "It'll take a lot of fires to make a blaze like that."
"I'm agreeing with you," said Obed. "I'm thinking that those are the camp fires of more men than Cos took from San Antonio with him."
"Which would mean," said Ned, "that another Mexican army had come north to join him."
"Anyhow, we'll soon see," said the Panther.
They mounted their horses and rode cautiously toward the light.