You're a Cheerful Talker, Panther, and you deserve both your names, but to tell you the honest truth I'm afraid of the Mexican advance." "I think the Mexicans probably belonged to Urrea's band," said Ned.
"Very likely," said Obed.

"He's about the most energetic of their partisan leaders, and it may be that we'll run against him pretty soon." They had heard in their scouting along the Rio Grande that young Francisco Urrea, after the discovery that he was a spy and his withdrawal from San Antonio with the captured army of Cos, had organized a strong force of horsemen and was foremost among those who were urging a new Mexican advance into Texas.
"It's pretty far west for the Mexicans," said the Panther.

"We're on the edge of the Indian country here." But Obed considered it all the more likely that Urrea, if he meditated a raid, would come from the west, since his approach at that point would be suspected the least.

The three held a brief discussion and soon came to an agreement.

They would continue their own ride west and look for Urrea.