Ned looked back again.

Another man had succeeded in loading his musket and was about to fire.

Then the boy remembered the pistol at his belt.

Snatching it out he fired at the fellow with the loaded musket.
The Mexican reeled forward on his horse's neck and his weapon dropped to the ground.

Whether the man himself fell also Ned never knew, because he quickly thrust the pistol back in his belt and once more was looking straight ahead.