He would show no quarter to those who had humbled Cos and his forces at San Antonio.
The boy was not assigned to the watch that night, but he could not sleep for a long time.

Among these borderers there was discipline, but it was discipline of their own kind, not that of the military martinet.

Ned was free to go about as he chose, and he went to the great plaza into which they had driven the cattle.

Some supplies of hay had been gathered for them, and having eaten they were now all at rest in a herd, packed close against the western side of the wall.
Ned passed near them, but they paid no attention to him, and going on he climbed upon the portion of the wall which ran close to the river.

Some distance to his right and an equal distance to his left were sentinels.
But there was nothing to keep him from leaping down from the wall or the outside and disappearing.