"You know that requests for help were sent in all directions by the people of Gonzales, and if I know our Texans, and I think I do, they'll ride hard to be here.
Castenada, in a way, is besieging us now, but--well, the tables may be turned and he'll turn with 'em." Just at twilight a great shout arose from the women in the village.
There was a snorting of horses, a jingling of spurs and embroidered bridle reins, and twenty lean, brown men, very tall and broad of shoulder, rode up.

They were the vanguard of the Texan help, and they rejoiced when they found that the Mexican force was still on the west side of the Guadalupe.
Their welcome was not noisy but deep.

The eighteen were now the thirty-eight, and to-morrow they would be a hundred or more.

The twenty had ridden more than a hundred miles, but they were fresh and zealous for the combat.

They went down to the river, and, in the darkness, looked at the Mexican camp fires, while the Ring Tailed Panther roared out his opinion.
"The Mexicans won't bring the fight to us," he said, "so we must carry it to them.