Shipman’s face had frozen into a hard frown. “You folks really thought through what you’re doin’? If you fire on Velasco and Anahuac, you’ve declared war on Mexico.”

“Freedom-loving men have never shrunk from war if that is what is demanded to preserve their freedom. The soldiers are mostly convicts with no great stake in whether Texas rebels against Mexico or not. We believe they will lay down their arms when they see the seriousness of our intentions.”

Shipman’s frown was undiminished. “And if they don’t?”

“We will do what we must. The Lord loves freedom, and He will be at our side.”

Shipman demanded dryly, “You’ve asked Him about that?”

“Prayer has its place in all our counsels.”

“I hope so, because you’re goin’ to need a lot of it if you get Mexico mad enough to send some real soldiers up here.”

The horseman clearly had already passed judgment on Shipman, and it was not favorable. “We would invite you two to join us in this mission, but I can see that you have no such inclination.”

Shipman shook his head. “We’re merchants, not lawyers and not soldiers. I don’t see where we’ve got any reason to bog ourselves down in somethin’ that don’t concern us.”

James’s blood had been aroused by what the leader said. He exclaimed, “It concerns me. I say we go give those soldiers a whippin’. They’ve got it comin’.”

“These won’t be the same ones who ran you off of your land.”

“They belong to the same outfit. Fight one, you fight them all.”

Shipman’s face showed a growing impatience. “Damn it, we’ve got a business to take care of. We’ve got goods here that we’re responsible for. We can’t be ridin’ off and leavin’ them to take up somebody else’s fight. We’d be lettin’ down Baptiste. Travis talked his way into jail. He’s a lawyer; let him talk his way out of it.”

The leader of the riders said, “We are wasting time. Whoever would go with us should come along. Whoever chooses not to do so may remain behind. We are better off without him.” He turned and rode away at a stiff trot. James counted fourteen men following him.

He went to one of the pack mules and loosened the pack, opening a sack that contained their traveling rations of coffee, flour, and bacon. He transferred a little of it to a leather pouch on his own saddle.

Shipman glowered. “It’s a fool’s errand.”

“I like Travis. It ain’t right, them puttin’ him in jail for sayin’ what he thinks.”

“That’s a real battle they’re fixin’ to have. You ever been in a battle before? An honest-to-God fight with gunpowder goin’ off around you and bullets whistlin’ around your head like hornets?”

“My brothers have been. My ol’ daddy was. I figure if my brother Michael was here, he’d go.”

“I wish he was here, so you could ask him. He might tell you to stay behind and mind your own business.”