〃Oh…h！　　I　see！　　So　Luis　is　to　be　my　brother　too。　　Is　that　so；
  little　dear？〃
  〃Have　you　room　in　your　heart　for　him？　　Or　has　this　Dare　Grant
  filled　it？〃
  〃If　I　had　twenty　sisters；　I　should　have　room　for　twenty
  brothers；　if　they　were　like　Dare　and　Luis。　　But；　indeed；　Luis
  had　his　place　there　before　I　knew　Dare。〃
  〃And　perhaps　you　may　see　him　soon；　he　is　with　Senor　Sam
  Houston。　　Senor　Houston　was　here　not　a　week　ago。　　Will　you
  think　of　that？　　And　the　mother　and　uncle　of　Luis　are　angry　at
  him；　he　will　be　disinherited；　and　we　shall　be　very　poor；　I
  think。　　But　there　is　always　my　father；　who　loves　Luis。〃
  〃Luis　will　win　his　own　inheritance。　　I　think　you　will　be　very
  rich。〃
  〃And；　Juan；　if　you　see　Luis；　say　to　him；　‘Iza　thinks　of　you
  continually。'〃
  At　this　moment　Rachela　angrily　called　her　charge
  〃Are　you　totally　and　forever　wicked；　disobedient　one？　　Two
  hours　I　have　been　kept　waiting。　　Very　well！　　The；　Sisters　are
  the　only　duenna　for　you；　and　back　to　the　convent　you　shall　go
  to…morrow。　　The　Senora　is　of　my　mind；　also。〃
  〃My　father　will　not　permit　it。　　I　will　go　to　my　father。　　And
  think　of　this；　Rachela：　I　am　no　longer　to　be　treated　like　a
  baby。〃　　But　she　kissed　Juan　‘farewell；'　and　went　away　without
  further　dispute。
  The　handsome　room　looked　strangely　lonely　and　desolate　when
  the　door　had　closed　behind　her。　　Jack　rose；　and　roughly　shook
  himself；　as　if　by　that　means　he　hoped　to　throw　off　the
  oppression　and　melancholy　that　was　invading　even　his　light
  heart。　　Hundreds　of　moths　were　dashing　themselves　to　death
  against　the　high　glass　shade　that　covered　the　blowing　candles
  from　them。　　He　stood　and　looked　at　their　hopeless　efforts
  to　reach　the　flame。　　He　had　an　unpleasant　thought；　one　of
  those　thoughts　which　have　the　force　of　a　presentiment。　　He　put
  it　away　with　annoyance；　muttering；　〃It　is　time　enough　to　meet
  misfortune　when　it　comes。〃
  The　sound　of　a　footstep　made　him　stand　erect　and　face　the
  door。
  It　was　only　a　sleepy　peon　with　a　request　that　he　would　go　to
  his　father's　study。　　A　different　mental　atmosphere　met　him
  there。　　The　doctor　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　and　Dare
  and　Antonia　sat　together　at　the　open　window。
  〃Your　father　wants　to　hear　about　our　journey；　Jack。　　Take　my
  chair　and　tell　him　what　happened。　　Antonia　and　I　will　walk
  within　hearing；　a　roof　makes　me　restless　such　a　night　as
  this〃；　for　the　waning　moon　had　risen；　and　the　cool　wind　from
  the　Gulf　was　shaking　a　thousand　scents　from　the　trees　and　the
  flowering　shrubs。
  The　change　was　made　with　the　words；　and　the　doctor　sat　down
  beside　his　son。　　〃I　was　asking；　Jack；　how　you　knew　so　much
  about　Texan　affairs；　and　how　you　came　so　suddenly　to　take　part
  in　them？〃
  〃Indeed；　father；　we　could　not　escape　knowing。　　The　Texan　fever
  was　more　or　less　in　every　young　man's　blood。　　One　night　Dare
  had　a　supper　at　his　rooms；　and　there　were　thirty　of　us
  present。　　A　man　called　Faulknera　fine　fellow　from
  Nacogdochesspoke　to　us。　　How　do　you　think　he　spoke；　when　his
  only　brother；　a　lad　of　twenty；　is　working　in　a　Mexican　mine
  loaded　with　chains？〃
  〃For　what？〃
  〃He　said　one　day　that　‘the　natural　boundaries　of　the　United
  States　are　the　Atlantic　and　Pacific　oceans。'　　He　was　sent　to
  the　mines　for　the　words。　　Faulkner's　only　hope　for　him　is　in
  the　independence　of　Texas。　　He　had　us　on　fire　in　five
  minutesall　but　Sandy　McDonald；　who　loves　to　argue；　and
  therefore　took　the　Mexican　side。〃
  〃What　could　he　say　for　it？〃
  〃He　said　it　was　a　very　unjustlike　thing　to　make　Mexico　give
  her　American　settlers　in　Texas　two　hundred　and　twenty…four
  millions　of　acres　because　she　thought　a　change　of　government
  best　for　her　own　interests。〃
  〃The　Americans　settled　in　Texas　under　the　solemn　guarantee　of
  the　constitution　of　eighteen　twenty…four。　　How　many　of
  them　would　have　built　homes　under　a　tyrannical　despotism　like
  that　Santa　Anna　is　now　forcing　upon　them？〃　asked　the　doctor；
  warmly。
  〃McDonald　said；　‘There　is　a　deal　of　talk　about　freedom　among
  you　Americans；　and　it　just　means　nothing　at　all。'　　You　should
  have　seen　Faulkner！　　He　turned　on　him　like　a　tornado。　　‘How
  should　you　know　anything　about　freedom；　McDonald？'　he　cried。
  ‘You　are　in　feudal　darkness　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland。　　You
  have　only　just　emigrated　into　freedom。　　But　we　Americans　are
  born　free！　　If　you　can　not　feel　the　difference　between　a
  federal　constitution　and　a　military　and　religious　despotism；
  there　is　simply　no　use　talking　to　you。　　How　would　you　like　to
  find　yourself　in　a　country　where　suddenly　trial　by　jury　and
  the　exercise　of　your　religion　was　denied　you？　　Of　course　you
  could　abandon　the　home　you　had　built；　and　the　acres　you　had
  bought　and　put　under　cultivation；　and　thus　make　some　Mexican
  heir　to　your　ten　years'　labor。　　Perhaps　a　Scot；　for
  conscience'　sake；　would　do　this。'〃
  〃And　what　answer　made　he？〃　　He　said；　‘A　Scot　kens　how　to　grip
  tight　to　ten　years'　labor　as　well　as　yoursel'；　Faulkner；
  and　neither　man　nor　de'il　can　come　between　him　and　his
  religion；　but'　　‘BUT；'　shouted　Faulkner；　‘there　is　no
  BUT！　　It　is　God　and　our　right！　　God　and　our　right；　against
  priestcraft　and　despotism！'〃
  〃Then　every　one　of　us　leaped　to　our　feet；　and　we　swore　to
  follow　Faulkner　to　Texas　at　an　hour's　notice；　and　Sandy　said
  we　were　‘a　parcel　of　fools'；　and　then；　would　you　believe　it；
  father；　when　our　boat　was　leaving　the　pier；　amid　the　cheers
  and　hurrahs　of　thousands；　Sandy　leaped　on　the　boat　and　joined
  us？〃
  〃What　did　he　say　then？〃
  〃He　said；　‘I　am　a　born　fool　to　go　with　you；　but　I　think　there
  is　a　kind　o'　witchcraft　in　that　word　TEXAS。　　It　has　been
  stirring　me　up　morning　and　night　like　the　voice　o'　the
  charmer；　and　I　be　to　follow　it　though　I　ken　well　enough　it
  isna　leading　me　in　the　paths　o'　peace　and　pleasantness！'〃
  〃Did　you　find　the　same　enthusiasm　outside　of　New　York？〃
  〃All　along　the　Ohio　and　Mississippi　we　gathered　recruits；　and
  at　Randolph；　sixty　miles　above　Memphis；　we　were　joined　by
  David　Crockett。〃
  〃Jack！〃
  〃True；　father！　　And　then　at　every　landing　we　took　on　men。　　For
  at　every　landing　Crockett　spoke　to　the　people；　and；　as　we
  stopped　very　often；　we　were　cheered　all　the　way　down　the
  river。　　The　Mediterranean；　though　the　biggest　boat　on　it；
  was　soon　crowded；　but　at　Helena；　Crockett　and　a　great　number
  of　the　leading　men　of　the　expedition　got　off。　　And　as　Dare　and
  Crockett　had　become　friends；　I　followed　them。〃
  〃Where　did　you　go　to？〃
  〃We　went　ostensibly　to　a　big　barbecue　at　John　Bowie's
  plantation；　which　is　a　few　miles　below　Helena。　　Invitations　to
  this　barbecue　had　been　sent　hundreds　of　miles　throughout　the
  surrounding　country。　　We　met　parties　from　the　depths　of　the
  Arkansas　wilderness　and　the　furthest　boundaries　of　the　Choctaw
  nation　coming　to　it。　　There　were　raftsmen　from　the
  Mississippi；　from　the　White；　and　the　St。　Francis　rivers。
  There　were　planters　from　Lousiana　and　Tennessee。　　There　were
  woodsmen　from　Kentucky。　　There　were　envoys　from　New　Orleans；
  Washington；　and　all　the　great　Eastern　cities。〃
  〃I　had　an　invitation　myself；　Jack。〃
  〃I　wish　you　had　accepted　it。　　It　was　worth　the　journey。　　There
  never　was　and　there　never　will　be　such　a　barbecue　again。
  Thousands　were　present。　　The　woods　were　full　of　sheds　and
  temporary　buildings；　and　platforms　for　the　speakers。〃
  〃Who　were　the　speakers？〃
  〃Crockett；　Hawkins；　General　Montgomery；　Colonel　Beauford；　the
  three　brothers　Cheatham；　Doc。　Bennet；　and　many　others。　　When
  the　woods　were　illuminated　at　night　with　pine　knots；　you　may
  imagine　the　scene　and　the　wild　enthusiasm　that　followed　their
  eloquence。〃
  〃Doc。　Bennet　is　a　good　partisan；　and　he　is　enormously　rich。〃
  〃And　he　has　a　personal　reason　for　his　hatred　of　Mexico。　　An
  insatiable　revenge　possesses　him。　　His　wife　and　two　children
  were　barbarously　murdered　by　Mexicans。　　He　appealed　to　those
  who　could　not　go　to　the　fight　to　give　money　to　aid　it；　and　on
  the　spot　laid　down　ten　thousand　dollars。〃
  〃Good！〃
  〃Nine　other　men；　either　present　or　there　by　proxy；　instantly
  gave　a　like　sum；　and　thirty　thousand　in　smaller　sums　was
  added　to　it。　　Every　donation　was　hailed　with　the　wildest
  transports；　and　while　the　woods　were　ringing　with　electrifying
  shouts；　Hawkins　rallied　three　hundred　men　round　him　and　went
  off　at　a　swinging　galop　for　the　Brazos。〃
  〃Oh；　Jack！　　Jack！〃
  In　another　hour；　the　rest　of　the　leaders　had　gathered　their
  detachments；　and　every　man　had　turned　his　face　to　the　Texan
  prairies。　　Crockett　was　already　far　advanced　on　the　way。　　Sam
  Houston　was　known　to　be　kindling　the　fire　on　the　spot；　and　I
  suppose　you　know；　father；〃　said　Jack；　sinking　his　voice　to　a
  whisper；　〃that　we　have　still　more　powerful　backers。〃
  〃General　Gaines？〃
  〃Well；　he　has　a　large　body　of　United　States　troops　at
  Nacogdoches。　　He　says　they　are　to　protect　the　people　of
  Navasola　from　the　Indians。〃
  〃But　Navasola　is　twenty…nine　miles　west　of　Nacogdoches。〃
  〃Navasola　is　in　Texas。　　Very　well！　　If　the　United　States　feel
  it　to　be　their　duty　to　protect　the　people　of　Navasola；　it
  seems　they　already　consider　Texas　within　their　boundary。〃
  〃You　think　the　Indians　a　mere　pretext？〃
  〃Of　course。　　Crockett　has　with　him　an　autograph　letter　from
  President　Jackson；　introducing　him　as　‘a　God…chosen　patriot。'
  Pre