Jim Bowie Read online

  We watched as Rose climbed to the top of the wall. He looked back at us and waved. He jumped to the other side and vanished into the darkness. Travis turned to the men.

  “I thank you. And Texas thanks you. Now we had better get back to our posts.”

  The men walked away. Each was lost in his own thoughts. Some of the men carried Jim into his room. I sat next to the bed. Davy Crockett walked into the room. He came over and laid two pistols next to Jim.

  “I think you’ll need these when the attack comes,” he said.

  Jim nodded. “Thanks. Would you hand me my knife? I feel better when I have it nearby.”

  Davy picked up the knife and handed it to Jim. “I don’t think it’ll be long until the final attack comes.”

  Jim nodded. “I think you’re right.” Jim reached out his hand to Davy. “Thanks for all you’ve done, Davy. Good luck to you.”

  Davy took his hand. “Thank you, Jim. Good luck to you.” Davy walked outside.

  Jim looked over at Gertrudis and Juana. “I want you to go and stay with the women.”

  “Who’ll take care of you if we do?” Juana asked.

  “I’m fine right now. You’ll be safer there. Besides, I have Gator. He can watch out for me. Now go on. I need to get some rest.”

  The two women walked out into the dark courtyard. I watched them walk toward the Alamo chapel. Jim lay on his bed and was soon asleep. I curled up in a corner of the room. I noticed that the enemy cannon was not firing. I was glad. Maybe I could get some sleep tonight.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  It was the best sleep I had had in weeks. I dreamed I was running through a field of tall blue flowers, chasing rabbits. The wind blowing through my ears felt good. I saw Jim running behind me, laughing and yelling. It was like old times.

  The sound of a cannonball crashing into the wall of the Alamo woke me from my dream. I heard someone shout.

  “Here they come!”

  I ran to the door and looked out into the courtyard. I saw Colonel Travis running from his room carrying his shotgun. He ran toward the north wall shouting, “Don’t surrender, boys.”

  I saw men stumbling from the rooms where they had been sleeping. They rubbed their eyes as they ran toward their positions on the walls. Davy Crockett and his men were firing at the advancing enemy. I heard the enemy band playing loud music, and then the roar of the cannons and the firing of the muskets drowned the music out.

  I turned and saw that Jim had raised himself into a sitting position on the bed. He braced his back against the wall and held a pistol in each hand. His knife lay across his lap. He looked at me and gave me a small smile.

  “Well, Gator. Looks like we’re in for it now.”

  I turned back toward the battle. I saw Colonel Travis lying at the foot of the north wall. His shotgun lay next to him. All around the Alamo men were firing at the advancing enemy. Sometimes I would see the top of a ladder rest against the wall. Then a Texan would push it off and I could hear yells as the enemy fell to the ground. The firing slowed for a moment. I heard someone yell.

  “They’re running!”

  Shortly I heard someone else yell.

  “Here they come again!”

  The firing seemed louder this time. Men were yelling as they fired into the advancing enemy. I had never heard noise like this before in my life. I saw some Texans fall from the walls. Some men ran out of ammunition, and I watched them search everywhere for more.

  I saw the first of the enemy soldiers climb inside the Alamo on the north wall. Texans rushed to meet them and they fought hand-to-hand in the thickening gunsmoke that was beginning to cover the area. More and more enemy soldiers climbed over the wall. The outnumbered Texans were gradually forced back. In a short period of time, the enemy controlled the north wall.

  Other Texans turned to face the new enemy threat. As they turned from their places, more enemy troops climbed the walls and they were inside the Alamo. I saw some enemy soldiers run to the gate. Despite the efforts of a few defenders, the gate was opened and the enemy army stormed through. Some of the Texans jumped from the walls and raced to the rooms where they had prepared their defenses. They began to fire on the enemy soldiers from these new positions. I saw the enemy soldiers attacking the rooms. They turned the Texans’ cannons around and fired them into the rooms. I knew it was only a matter of time until they found Jim.

  I walked over to the bed and lay down next to Jim. We listened to the sound of the battle. We could see figures running by the door. We heard men yelling as they fought each other. Suddenly I saw an enemy soldier stick his head into the room. He saw Jim lying on the bed. He yelled something, and soon other soldiers appeared in the doorway. They started to come into the room. I heard the sound of Jim’s guns as he fired at the advancing soldiers. He dropped his guns to the floor and picked up his knife.

  I ran toward the first soldier. My teeth were bared, and I growled as I leaped at him. He saw me coming and swung his rifle. The rifle hit me in the side and I hit the floor and rolled into a corner. I lay there stunned for a moment. When I recovered I saw the enemy soldiers standing around Jim’s bed. I knew my best friend was gone.

  I ran from the room. One of the soldiers saw me and stuck his bayonet toward me. I felt the sharp blade slice down my leg. I yelped but kept running. As I ran through the courtyard, I saw the Texans still fighting. Davy Crockett and his men were fighting their way toward the Alamo chapel. Davy was leading the way, swinging his rifle at the advancing enemy. The gate was full of enemy troops rushing into the Alamo. I saw a cannon position in the stockade area where Davy and his men had been fighting. I ran to the cannon and jumped on top of it. The cannon was hot from firing, and it burned my feet as I jumped over the fence and landed on the outside of the Alamo. I ran as fast as I could. I did not know where I was going, but I knew I had to get out of that place.

  Soon I came to the top of a small hill. I stopped to catch my breath. I looked back toward the battle. The firing had nearly stopped. I watched as more enemy troops entered the Alamo. I saw some enemy soldiers lower the flag that had been flying over the Alamo and raise their own flag. As I stood there, I felt sadder than I had ever felt in my life. The one person in this world I loved more than any other was gone.

  The sun was starting to come up, but the moon was still visible in the sky. I raised my face toward the moon and howled as long and as loud as I could. When I could howl no more, I turned and limped away from the Alamo.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The old dog looked down at the young puppies. They were both asleep. Princess lay with her front paw touching the old dog’s leg. Butch moved his feet and growled as he chased rabbits in his dream. The old dog stretched and yawned. He was ready for a nap too.

  A small dust devil blew across the yard. It picked up leaves and deposited them not far from where the old dog lay. He watched the dust devil pass out of the yard and disappear in the distance. The water dish looked inviting, but the old dog did not want to get up and walk over to it.

  His leg ached where the bayonet had cut him so many years ago. It seemed now that it had all been a dream. He missed Jim. Many times during the past years he had thought that he heard Jim calling him. He would run toward the sound, but when he got there it would only be the wind.

  The old dog had been found by a young couple who had adopted him. They were nice to him and he enjoyed being part of their family, but they could not replace Jim.

  The young couple had a dog, and the old dog came to like her. They had had some puppies, and later Princess and Butch had come along. He loved the little puppies and enjoyed telling them stories of when he was young. He wanted them to know about his great friend, Jim Bowie. He wanted them to remember what Jim and the others had done to win Texas independence. To remember the sacrifices they had made so that new Texans could enjoy the freedoms they now had. He remembered. He would always remember, not only the Alamo, but also the men who had defended it. Men like William Travis, D
avy Crockett, and his great friend, Jim Bowie.

  The old dog looked around. The shade was disappearing. If he was going to take a nap, he needed to take one soon. He looked up and watched a passing cloud cover the sun. The old dog placed his head on his paws and closed his eyes. Soon all was still in the yard.

  The End