Free Jim Bowie by Robert E. Hollmann Page A

tears. “He’s not getting any better. Sometimes he feels stronger, but then he begins to cough and he becomes very sick. What’s wrong with him, Doctor?”
    Dr. Pollard took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.
    “I don’t know for sure. He has tuberculosis or pneumonia, or typhoid, or all of them. I just call it consumption. You’re doing all you can for him. Just keep him comfortable and try to get him to eat something. I better go. I have some sick men over in the next room I need to check on.”
    Juana watched him walk away, then went back into the little room. Gertrudis was wiping Jim’s forehead with a wet cloth. Juana sat in a chair next to the bed. Jim was sleeping.
    “Gertrudis, why don’t you go outside for awhile? I’ll stay with Jim.”
    Gertrudis put down her cloth. “All right. It’s getting cold. I’ll find some wood for the fire.”
    She put her shawl around her shoulders and walked outside. Suddenly there was a lot of shooting going on. I ran outside and saw men firing from the wall. Davy Crockett was walking behind the men, patting them on the back and encouraging them. Finally the firing stopped. The men on the wall cheered. I heard one of them say, “Look at them run.”
    I walked back into the room. Jim was sitting up, asking Juana what was happening. She told Jim she didn’t know. At that moment Davy Crockett walked through the door. He took off his cap and stood next to the bed.
    “How are you doing, Jim?”
    Jim smiled weakly at Davy “Why, I’m just fine, Davy. Pretty soon I’ll be wrestling alligators again. What was all the shooting about?”
    “The enemy made a brief attack. I think they just wanted to see how strong we were. We drove them off, but those little shacks just outside the walls give them good cover.”
    Jim coughed, then looked up at Davy. “You need to burn them down. I bet there are some enemy soldiers in them right now. They’ll be a big problem if you leave them.”
    “That’s what I was thinking, Jim. I told Travis to let me take some men out there and burn them down. We’re going in a few minutes. I just wanted to check on you.”
    Jim reached his hand toward Davy. “Thank you. I’ll be all right. Juana and Gator are taking good care of me. Before long I’ll be right out there with you again.”
    I walked beside Davy as he walked into the courtyard. Colonel Travis and a group of men were waiting for him. The men held torches.
    “We’re ready, Davy,” Colonel Travis said. “I’ll have the men on the north wall shoot to draw the enemy’s attention away from you. Get those shacks to burning as soon as you can, then hurry back.”
    Davy nodded and led his men to a small gate. I walked back to Jim’s room and sat in the doorway. Soon the men on the wall began to fire. The small gate was opened and Davy and his men ran outside the Alamo. Soon I saw smoke rising from the shacks. I heard firing coming from the direction of the burning shacks. Suddenly the small gate opened and Davy and his men ran through the gate and fell to the ground. They were breathing heavily. Before long the men caught their breath and stood up. I saw Davy walking toward Jim’s room. He patted me on the head as he walked past. Jim smiled when he saw Davy walk in.
    “Well, Davy. Sounded like you stirred up quite a hornet’s nest.”
    Davy shook his head. “It seems they didn’t want to move out. You were right, Jim. There were enemy soldiers hiding in those shacks. I guess they’re going to have to find a new place to live now.”
    There was a knock on the door. Colonel Travis and Juan Seguin walked into the room.
    “Hello,” Jim said. “We’re getting enough people in here to have a party. What’s going on, Travis?”
    “Jim, as you know, we need more men. I’ve sent out messengers requesting more men, but I haven’t heard from any of them. I want Juan to take another message. He doesn’t want to go. I know you are good friends, so I was hoping you