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Clouds of smoke drifted over the city. While Ned was at the window, a second cannon ball smashed through the wall of the Veramendi house, and caused the débris to fall in masses. The Colonel grew uneasy. The cannon gave the Mexicans an immense advantage, and they were now using it to the utmost.
"I know San Antonio by heart," he said, "an' there's somethin' I want to see. Down this street is the house of the Vice-Governor, Veramendi, and I want to see what is going on there. If the rest of you feel that the risk ain't justified you can turn back, but I'm goin' on." "If you go I'm going with you," said Ned. "Me, too," said Obed. Urrea shrugged his shoulders. "Very well," he said.
He traveled through it, lived at old San Antonio, entered into business, at Saltillo, south of the Rio Grande on the present Mexican border, was naturalized as a Mexican citizen, and in 1830 married the daughter of Juan Veramendi, the vice-governor of the State of Coahuila and Texas. His brother Rezin also was now a Texan; Stephen came in a little later.
Evidently they had been making ready for early breakfast in the Veramendi house when the Texans came. Ned called to his friends. "Why shouldn't we use it!" he said, "even if it is cold?" "Why shouldn't we?" said Obed. "Even though we fight we must live." They took the food and coffee, cold as it was, to the men, and they ate and drank eagerly.
"Here goes for another dash!" came the cry at noon, and sure enough another dash was led to a house still closer to the plaza, and the building was soon in the possession of the Texans. They were gaining their victory slowly but surely. At evening Colonel Milam attempted to leave his own position to consult with Colonel Johnson, still at the Veramendi house.
The others regarded him uneasily, but for a while he said nothing. Ned hardly breathed, so intense was his interest and curiosity, but when Cos at last spoke his disappointment was great. The General complimented Veramendi on his house and hospitality, and the Vice-Governor thanked him in ornate sentences.
About the time that he was married to the lovely daughter of Vice-Governor Juan Veramendi, Jim Bowie himself, with a party of thirty other fearless bordermen, started from San Antonio to prospect, and discover the storied Amalgres mines, which would make their fortunes.
The crash of rifles and muskets was incessant, and every minute or two came the heavy boom of the cannon with which Cos swept the streets. The Texans themselves now pulled the trigger but little, calmly waiting their opportunity. Ned and his comrades still lay on the roof of the Veramendi house. The boy's heart beat fast but the scene was wild and thrilling to the last degree.
From the house of De La Garcia the other division of Texans began to fire, the sharp lashing of their rifles sounding clearly amid the duller crash of musketry and cannon from the Mexicans. The Texans in the lower part of the Veramendi house were also at work with their rifles. Every man was a sharpshooter, and, whenever a Mexican came from behind a barricade, he was picked off.
It was the house of Veramendi, and he thought it a singular chance that had brought him to the same place. But he had little time for reflection. The column of Texans, a hundred and fifty in number, were taking possession of every part of the building, the occupants of which had fled through the rear doors. "To the roof!" cried "Deaf" Smith. "We can best meet the attack from there."
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