In a moment more he was listening to an eager voice that told him great news.
"Red Wolf," he said. "Heap Lipan. Son of Castro. Friend of Big Knife."
"But what are you here for?" interrupted the white leader. "I'm Colonel Smith."
"Travis heap want more Texan!" said Red Wolf. "Santa Anna come! All Mexican at fort. Heap big gun. More Texan come or all ranger lose hair. Castro great chief! Tell young brave ride heap! Bring many rifle! Ugh!"
"God bless you!" exclaimed Smith. "Bully for Castro! I know him."
Then he turned to his men and shouted,—
"Boys! It's all right! He's from the fort. Santa Anna's whole army is marching upon the Alamo. It's thar now!"
"We ought to ha' come quicker," was the first response that came from any of the men. Smith could speak Spanish, however, and Red Wolf was more at home in that tongue than in English. He now gave the colonel a full account of the scout he and his father had made; of the arrival of the supply-train; of the condition of things at the fort; and of the estimated strength of the Mexican army. All that he said was at once communicated to the men, but it did not seem to dismay them. On the contrary, not one of them faltered when at last their commander addressed them with,—
"Men! Now you know just how it is, how many of you are ready to push right on with me to the Alamo?"
"Git right along," came cheerily back from one of the riflemen. "Thar ain't any white feathers a-flyin' in this crowd. We're all with ye. Hurrah for Texas!"