Conn O'Malley, Texian Heed the Call for Valor by Gutherie Hodges A Preview

Conn looked sober. "And here you are again about to run away so you do not have to live in England. But this time you would be gone from Ireland for all of your life, Tom. A man is not likely to come back here if he takes his family to a far land like that Texas."

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Conn took aim on the armed guard farthest from him and shot just as the charge exploded. Then he grabbed up the next musket and shot the second guard who spun around when the explosion rocked the entire cavern.

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"I have been told that those bands of murderers and thieves call themselves something sinister like the Red Dawn, or the Black Hand, but I have never heard one of the real names. I believe those who live terrorized by them are afraid to say aloud the name."

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Conn looked at the pole huts with thatch roofs and tried to decide if they were meant to house people or animals. "Must be for the settlers because they would not have that many little barns built that close together," he muttered to himself.

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Conn was surprised at the thrill that went through him when he took that oath and pinned on the star. He smiled at the sick man, "Guess that makes me a Texian now, sir!"

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Never had Conn joined an army that looked less like an army, but as he came to know the men he realized that he had never before joined an army where every man was there because he wanted to be. Not for money and not because he was forced to join. These were volunteer soldiers who received no pay. Each man here had come because he hated oppression and thought he had the right to make his own choices and shape his own life.

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A loud tearing sound in his ear jerked Conn awake, and he lunged to his feet, gasping as the pain from his wounded leg and broken arm hit him. He fell back onto the straw and realized the tearing sound had seemed so loud because the cow was biting straw not far from where his ear had been pressed into the hay.

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Two Mexican soldiers jumped up from the brush just as Texas Horse with his teeth bared ran into one of them and knocked him down then ran at the other one who was waving a machete. Conn slammed his club into the head of that soldier as the horse ran by.

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Conn was uneasy. "Let's not make a fire or any noise until we know we have ridden far beyond the influence of those two towns," he said in a low voice. "We can eat jerky and drink water for this meal. You ladies go on and unpack the supplies and stake your horses out. I think it might be a good idea for me to scout out this area."

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"Eileen," he said as he turned to look at her. "There is very little you can do about trying to escape with little Tunkett there because you could not ride fast enough to get away. I think the best plan for you is just to sit your horse quietly and keep a good grip on his basket. It is my belief that even the criminals they have let out of jail would not be likely to harm a mother with a newborn baby like that."

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At last he picked up the trail that led south to the main road going east from Victoria. Before he expected it, they rode across a wide track beat bare of grass and packed down by many wheels and hooves. That surface was muddy and sticky now after all the rain. Their horses kicked up mud and sank down to their fetlocks when they reached the edge of the road.
Then they were across the road. Without seeing any guard or bandit.  Suddenly a flash of fire came from under a big dark tree close to the road and Conn felt the sting of a bullet cutting across the top of his left shoulder.

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"Lazarus, we found the pirates' camp last night. Found nothing for hours, but at last we saw a glimmer of firelight. Perhaps thirty women are being held there, and I think we must act quickly to free them tonight. During the day we saw a ship in one of the places where we have seen ships hidden before. I am afraid they may start to move the captives on board very soon!"

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"Quick!" Conn grabbed off the knit cap from one pirate and jammed it on his head, then handed another one to Hardy. "Get in the boat, quick!"   He waded out and caught one boat and clambered in then rowed over to catch hold of the other and shove it toward Hardy. Hardy managed to scramble over the side just before the extra men came stumbling up, evidently waked out of a sound sleep by all the commotion.

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A big rawboned red cow from his little herd chose just the right moment to wander in the direction of the trees toward some particularly green grass. Conn pushed the other cows to follow her and let them graze there a few minutes.  Without making an obvious effort to look, from under his hat brim he could see that the ship was only about thirty feet long. By moving his horse around some he managed to find a break in the trees that let him count how many gun ports were located on the aft section of the deck.