About five o'clock
Since morning a number had been wearing masks made of their neckerchiefs , and one man had not shown his face since the moment he rode into camp after the all-night drive . This man 's peculiar actions piqued Bud 's curiosity , and he tried a number of times to draw him into conversation . But the rustler refused to speak and moved away whenever he found himself in the prisoner 's vicinity . About five o'clock the cavalcade arrived at a point where , ahead of them , through the barren buttes and hogbacks , they could see the long , level expanse of the range ; and , about half-way to the horizon , a line of trees that indicated the snake-like progress of a river . Here Joe called a halt and gave orders that the party should lie concealed until after dark , as the remainder of their business could then be conducted with less danger to themselves . Accordingly the horsemen turned away from the trail they had been following and after fifteen minutes of tortuous riding , made camp on the other side of a particularly uninviting wall of rock . After eating supper prepared around the little fires Larkin saw the rustlers all gather into a circle and start drawing lots .