fight him in the open where we can move, not be locked into a fort.”
“Have you told Colonel Neill this?” Jim asked.
“You tell Colonel Neill I gave you orders to do this. He’ll go along with my orders. I’ll send some other men to help you. Do you know William Travis?”
Jim nodded.
“I’ll send him with some more men.”
Jim coughed, then looked at Houston. “General, if we blow up the Alamo, we’ll have nothing to stop Santa Anna.”
“Jim, the Alamo won’t stop Santa Anna. General Cos couldn’t hold the Alamo and he had more men than we do. That place was not built as a fort. It was built as a mission. Can I count on you, Jim?”
Jim was silent for a moment as he thought about Houston’s plan. Finally he said, “I’ll go to San Antonio, General.”
Houston stood up. “Good. I must be going. I have a long ride to the Indian village. I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
Houston started to leave, then turned back to Jim. “You better see a doctor about that cough.”
Jim smiled and shook Houston’s hand. “I have seen one, General. Don’t worry. It’s just a cold.”
Chapter Nineteen
It was good to see San Antonio again. I had spent many pleasant days in the town. The streets were crowded as we rode toward the Veramendi house. Thirty men had ridden with us. They were all Jim’s friends and he knew he could count on them. As we rode down the street, someone called Jim’s name. We turned to see Juan Seguin running toward us.
“Jim. It’s good to see you. Welcome back to San Antonio.”
Jim leaned down from his saddle and shook Juan’s hand. “It’s good to be back, Juan. This town has changed.”
Juan nodded. “Yes. The battle of last December destroyed many houses. Many people have left. They’re afraid that Santa Anna will return.”
“What do you think, Juan?” Jim asked.
Juan removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ve heard from some of the vaqueros that live to the south that Santa Anna is already on the way here. He’s bringing a large army. I think he’ll be here before long.”
Jim straightened up in the saddle. “I have a message for Colonel Neill from General Houston. Do you know where he is?”
Juan pointed toward the Alamo.
“I believe he’s in the Alamo. He’s trying to make it into a strong fort.”
Jim looked toward the Alamo. “I’ll go see him. But first, I want to stop by the Veramendi house. I’ll talk to you later, Juan.”
Juan stood in the street and watched us ride away. Soon we stopped in front of the Veramendi house. Jim dismounted while the rest of the men rode on to find a place to stay. We walked into the house. It was cool inside. A fire was burning in the fireplace, but it did not provide much warmth. Jim walked from room to room. I could tell he was thinking of the days when he had lived in this house with Ursula.
“Jim. It’s so good to see you.”
A woman ran from one of the rooms and hugged Jim.
“Juana. It’s good to see you too. How have you been?”
“I’ve been fine, Jim. I married Dr. Alsbury. He’s away on business right now. My sister Gertrudis is here. Do you remember her?”
“Of course I do.” Jim walked over to the fire. “Are you staying here?”
“Yes. There are plenty of rooms. You and your dog are welcome to stay here while you are in San Antonio.”
Jim coughed, then warmed his hands by the fire.
“Thank you. I’m not sure how long I will be here. I have orders for Colonel Neill from General Houston. I must go to the Alamo. I’ve heard that’s where Colonel Neill is.”
Juana walked over and took Jim’s hand. “Be back for supper. Gertrudis will want to see you.”
“I’ll be sure to be back.”
Jim walked outside. He coughed and bent over to catch his breath. I was getting worried about him. I was beginning to think that the cough was caused by much more than a cold.
We rode into the Alamo. Several men were busy working on making the walls stronger. Some were
“Have you told Colonel Neill this?” Jim asked.
“You tell Colonel Neill I gave you orders to do this. He’ll go along with my orders. I’ll send some other men to help you. Do you know William Travis?”
Jim nodded.
“I’ll send him with some more men.”
Jim coughed, then looked at Houston. “General, if we blow up the Alamo, we’ll have nothing to stop Santa Anna.”
“Jim, the Alamo won’t stop Santa Anna. General Cos couldn’t hold the Alamo and he had more men than we do. That place was not built as a fort. It was built as a mission. Can I count on you, Jim?”
Jim was silent for a moment as he thought about Houston’s plan. Finally he said, “I’ll go to San Antonio, General.”
Houston stood up. “Good. I must be going. I have a long ride to the Indian village. I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
Houston started to leave, then turned back to Jim. “You better see a doctor about that cough.”
Jim smiled and shook Houston’s hand. “I have seen one, General. Don’t worry. It’s just a cold.”
Chapter Nineteen
It was good to see San Antonio again. I had spent many pleasant days in the town. The streets were crowded as we rode toward the Veramendi house. Thirty men had ridden with us. They were all Jim’s friends and he knew he could count on them. As we rode down the street, someone called Jim’s name. We turned to see Juan Seguin running toward us.
“Jim. It’s good to see you. Welcome back to San Antonio.”
Jim leaned down from his saddle and shook Juan’s hand. “It’s good to be back, Juan. This town has changed.”
Juan nodded. “Yes. The battle of last December destroyed many houses. Many people have left. They’re afraid that Santa Anna will return.”
“What do you think, Juan?” Jim asked.
Juan removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ve heard from some of the vaqueros that live to the south that Santa Anna is already on the way here. He’s bringing a large army. I think he’ll be here before long.”
Jim straightened up in the saddle. “I have a message for Colonel Neill from General Houston. Do you know where he is?”
Juan pointed toward the Alamo.
“I believe he’s in the Alamo. He’s trying to make it into a strong fort.”
Jim looked toward the Alamo. “I’ll go see him. But first, I want to stop by the Veramendi house. I’ll talk to you later, Juan.”
Juan stood in the street and watched us ride away. Soon we stopped in front of the Veramendi house. Jim dismounted while the rest of the men rode on to find a place to stay. We walked into the house. It was cool inside. A fire was burning in the fireplace, but it did not provide much warmth. Jim walked from room to room. I could tell he was thinking of the days when he had lived in this house with Ursula.
“Jim. It’s so good to see you.”
A woman ran from one of the rooms and hugged Jim.
“Juana. It’s good to see you too. How have you been?”
“I’ve been fine, Jim. I married Dr. Alsbury. He’s away on business right now. My sister Gertrudis is here. Do you remember her?”
“Of course I do.” Jim walked over to the fire. “Are you staying here?”
“Yes. There are plenty of rooms. You and your dog are welcome to stay here while you are in San Antonio.”
Jim coughed, then warmed his hands by the fire.
“Thank you. I’m not sure how long I will be here. I have orders for Colonel Neill from General Houston. I must go to the Alamo. I’ve heard that’s where Colonel Neill is.”
Juana walked over and took Jim’s hand. “Be back for supper. Gertrudis will want to see you.”
“I’ll be sure to be back.”
Jim walked outside. He coughed and bent over to catch his breath. I was getting worried about him. I was beginning to think that the cough was caused by much more than a cold.
We rode into the Alamo. Several men were busy working on making the walls stronger. Some were
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