Moore waved his hand and the Texans halted. Castenada on foot came on. Moore also dismounted, and, calling to Ned and Obed to accompany him, went forward to meet him. Ned and Obed, delighted, sprang from their horses, and walked by his side. The Ring Tailed Panther growled between his teeth that he was glad to stay, that he would have no truck with Mexicans.
Castenada, with the soldier beside him, came forward. He was rather a handsome young man of the dark type. As the two little parties met midway between the lines, the forces on the hill and on the plain were alike silent. Every trace of the fog was now gone, and the sun shone with full splendor upon brown faces, upon rifles and lances.
Castenada saluted in Mexican fashion.
"What do you want?" he asked in Spanish, which all understood.
"Your surrender," replied Moore coolly, "either that or the sworn adherence of you and your men to Texas."
Castenada uttered an angry exclamation.
"This is presumption carried to the last degree," he said. "My own honor and the honor of Mexico will not allow me to do either."
"It is that or fight."
"I bid you beware. General Cos is coming with a force that all Texas cannot resist, and after him comes our great Santa Anna with another yet greater. If the Texans make war they will be destroyed. The buffalo will feed where their houses now stand."
"You have already made war. Accept our terms or fight. We deal with you now. We deal with Cos and Santa Anna later on."