The man on horseback rode toward him, while the sprawling army of Cos still slept.

Then Ned saw clearly that it was Obed, and that he rode a magnificent black horse, sixteen hands high, as fiery as any that could be found in all Mexico.
In another moment Obed was by his side, looking down from the height of his horse.

In the moonlight Ned saw that his face was glowing.
"Isn't he a beauty ?" he said.

"And I think, too, that he likes me.

There were three or four sentinels down there by the horses, but all of them were fast asleep, and I had time to pick.