You are to direct the attack on the northern wall, and may quick success go with you." Duque glowed at the compliment, and he, too, strode away to the head of his column.
"Colonel Romero," said Santa Anna, "the third column is yours, and the fourth is yours, Colonel Morales.

Take your places and, at the signal agreed, the four columns will charge with all their strength.

Let us see which will be the first in the Alamo." The two colonels saluted as the others had done, and joined their columns.
The bar of gray in the east was still broadening, but the sun itself did not yet show.

The walls of the Alamo were still dim, and Ned could not see whether any figures were there.

Santa Anna had put a pair of powerful glasses to his eyes, but when he took them down he said nothing of what he had seen.
"Are all the columns provided ?" he said to General Sesma, who stood beside him.
"They have everything," replied Sesma, "crowbars, axes, scaling ladders.
Sir, they cannot fail!" "No, they cannot," said Santa Anna exultantly.