James had long since decided that Shipman could sell overcoats in Hell. Shipman put on his best salesman’s manner in the same way he might put on his gloves. “Only because of unjust officials who would rob the poor to enrich themselves. Our only interest is to give the honest settler an honest deal. We ask no profit for ourselves except what little we need to feed our animals and keep hunger from our camp.”

The leader turned to the rider who had spoken. “We have no quarrel with these men. They serve a useful purpose and earn whatever reward may fall into their hands.” He studied Shipman and James for a moment. “You have come from the north?”

James did not intend to let Shipman do all the talking. He said, “We come from Natchitoches, then along the Sabine as far as it carried.”

“Have you seen any Mexican soldiers the last day or so?”

Shipman was about to reply; he considered himself the leader in their enterprise. But James answered first. “No sir, but then we wasn’t lookin’ for any. We try not to get in their way and hope they stay out of ours.”

The leader seemed relieved. “We were afraid they might be sending reinforcements from the north, Nacogdoches perhaps. Is it possible you gentlemen have not heard about the trouble?”

Shipman answered ahead of James. “No sir, in our line of business we make it a point not to see more people than we have to, so we don’t hear a lot. What’s happened?”

“You’ve heard of Juan Bradburn?”

“Yes sir, he’s another we try not to see, or be seen by.”

“He has presumed himself to be all-powerful. He declared the land grants around Liberty to be void, and he ordered the town itself abolished. When the citizens protested, he arrested Patrick Jack and a lawyer named Travis.”

“Travis?” James demanded, remembering well the man he had met on the trail. “The one from Alabama?”

“The same.”

Shipman gave James a glance. “I told you. I knew he’d open his mouth too wide and fall into it himself.”

The leader of the horsemen declared, “No man should be arrested for saying what he believes. Free speech has always been an inalienable right for all Americans.”

“Not when they’re in Mexico,” Shipman said. “And this is part of Mexico.”

“Bradburn declared martial law over ten leagues of land. He intends to send Jack and Travis down into Mexico for trial. They’ll never come back. The Mexicans will shoot them.”

“That’s too bad,” Shipman said, meaning it. “Except for talkin’ too free, he seemed like a decent feller. Especially for a lawyer.”

“We do not intend to let it happen. Men are gathering from all over this part of Texas, even from as far as San Felipe. They have commandeered a schooner and loaded cannon upon it to attack Anahuac from Galveston Bay.”

James began to feel excitement. “So you’re goin’ to Anahuac?”

“Yes, to attack from the land side as the schooner attacks from the water. But first we ride to Velasco to attack the garrison there. Its guns are trained on the Gulf. The schooner cannot pass to Anahuac until the Velasco garrison is taken.”