"Ready! Together!" answered Jim, and in a few seconds more the two rifles cracked almost like one.
Tetzcatl had watched the marksmen, and now he nodded approvingly and rode on, but no one climbed to the upper level to inquire whether one bullet or two had cut short the scouting of the imprudent brave, whose eagle feather had betrayed his weedy lurking-place.
It was, nevertheless, another proof that Great Bear was a great chief and that he knew that country, for he had sent his scouts in the right direction before trying to close in upon the Texans at the pond. He had even guessed correctly at one of their possible lines of escape. He could not have calculated beforehand that a feather and a head with a bullet in it should give so complete a confirmation.
"He won't go back to tell," said Bowie, "but we shall be followed all the way."
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CAMP AT THE SPRING.
"Crockett, there isn't any use talking. We've an awful tough job cut out."
The old bear-hunter had stuck his coonskin cap upon the muzzle of his rifle, and he stared up at it for a moment.
"Reckon we have," he said; "but we kin skirmish around the corners of it somehow. I've been in tight places before now, but I allers crawled out or fought out."