might be annihilated before they gave their besieged comrades any help.

"I make the motion, Mr. Panther," said Crockett, "that you form a speedy
plan of action for us, an' I trust that our young friend Ned here will
second it."

"I second the motion," said Ned.

"It is carried unanimously. Now, Mr. Panther, we await your will."

"It's my will that we git back to the rest of the men as soon as we can.
I reckon, Mr. Crockett, that them Tennesseans of yours wouldn't head in
the other direction if a fight grew hot."

"I reckon that wild horses couldn't drag 'em away," said Crockett dryly.

"Then we'll go back an' j'in 'em."

"To hold a caucus, so to speak."

"I don't know what a cow-cuss is."

"It's Congressional for a conference. Don't mind these parliamentary
expressions of mine, Mr. Panther. They give me pleasure an' they hurt
nobody."

They reached the Tennesseans without interruption, and the Panther
quickly laid his plan before them. They would advance within a quarter
of a mile of the cabin, tie their horses in the thickest of the brush,
leave four men to guard them, then the rest would go forward to help the