Free Jim Bowie by Robert E. Hollmann

then checked his body for wounds. “He wasn’t hit by the cannonball,” he said.
    “What’s wrong with him?” Davy Crockett asked.
    Dr. Pollard felt Jim’s head again. “He’s very sick. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s very serious.” He looked at the crowd. “Stand back. Give him some air. Some of you men pick him up and carry him into that room.”
    Several men picked Jim up and carried him inside a small room in one of the buildings. I followed them in and sat in a corner. I watched them lay Jim on a small bed.
    “Bring me some water and some towels,” Dr. Pollard said.
    “What’s happened to Jim?” Juana asked as she and Gertrudis ran into the room.
    “He’s very sick,” Dr. Pollard said. Someone brought a bowl of water and some towels. Dr. Pollard began to wash the dirt from Jim’s face.
    “All right, everyone,” Colonel Travis said. “Time to get back to your posts. The enemy might attack any time.”
    The men left the room. Colonel Travis walked over to Dr. Pollard.
    “I need to write some letters. I’ll check on him later.”
    Dr. Pollard nodded and continued to wash Jim’s face. I moved over by the bed. Travis patted me on the head as he left. Juana knelt next to Jim’s bed. She looked up at Dr. Pollard.
    “Let me do that. You have other people to look after.”
    Dr. Pollard handed her the towel. “Keep washing his face. We need to keep him cool. He has a fever. I’ll check on him later. I’ll see if there’s any medicine I can give him.”
    Dr. Pollard walked out of the room. Juana and Gertrudis were taking good care of Jim, so I walked outside. Men were looking over the walls at the enemy army. The enemy cannons fired every now and then. They caused some damage, but no one was injured. I saw Colonel Travis walk out of his room and hand a letter to a man on horseback. Travis said something to the man. The man nodded, then turned his horse and rode out of the gate. The gates closed after the messenger rode off.
    Although there were people everywhere, I felt alone as I walked around the old mission. I was worried about Jim. I knew he had more than a cold. I walked by the chapel where the women and children were staying. Susannah Dickinson walked out holding her baby. She stared across the courtyard at her husband firing a cannon at the enemy. She sat down and leaned against the chapel wall. I sat next to her. She put a hand on my head. We sat there a long time, neither of us moving. Susannah watched her husband while I thought about Jim. The baby started to cry. Susannah patted my head, stood up, and walked back into the chapel.
    I trotted over to Jim’s room. As my eyes adjusted to the dark room, I saw Jim sitting up in bed. Juana was feeding him some soup. I ran over to the bed and stood on my back legs with my front legs on Jim’s bed.
    Gertrudis tried to push me away. “Go on, Gator. Jim needs to eat and rest.”
    Jim shook his head. “Leave him alone, Gertrudis. We’ve been friends for a long time. I’m happy to see him.”
    Jim put his hand on my head. His touch was weak. Juana tried to give Jim some soup. She spilled some and the hot soup fell on my nose. I yelped and jumped back. Jim laughed until he began to cough. He patted the bed beside where he was lying.
    “Come here, boy. That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while. You always could make me laugh.”
    I put my head on the bed next to Jim. He laid his hand on me and scratched between my ears. Outside the cannons were shooting and the men were yelling, but in that small room with Jim scratching my ears, I felt a strange peace.

Chapter Twenty-Three
    Jim grew weaker with each passing day. Juana and Gertrudis stayed with him and did the best they could to make him feel better, but there was not much they could do. One day Dr. Pollard stopped by. He checked Jim, then walked outside with Juana. I followed them into the courtyard.
    “You’re doing a good job,” Dr. Pollard said.
    Juana’s eyes filled with