midday
A story in which Jerry Simpson and Tige played valiant part and bore more than their share of the danger , and became heroes to those who went with them . One would need to picture somehow the bubbling excitement of Teresita , while she planned and replanned her festal garments , and tell how often she found it necessary to ride with Jack across the valley to talk the matter over with the `` pretty Señora '' Simpson , or to the Mission San José to see what Rosa had at last decided to wear . Then , there would be the solemn conferences in the kitchen , between Margarita and the señora herself ; conferences that had to do with cakes and preserves and the like , with the niños getting in every one 's way , while they listened and smacked lips over the very naming of so many good things to eat . One would need see the adobe corral that was to be transformed into an amphitheater where were hammering and clatter from sunrise till dark , without even a pause for midday siesta amongst those lazy peons who would sleep over their cigarettes , though the padres stood over them predicting the end of the world the next moment . Well in the foreground of the picture would be Jack , to be sure ; Jack riding far afield upon Surry , whom he had found the best horse for his purpose upon the whole ranch ; lassoing cattle to get his hand in , practising certain little twists of his own invention , and teaching Surry to know without fail just what certain signals meant , and obey instantly and implicitly when they were given . Sometimes , when the señorita was not in a perverse mood , she would ride with him and applaud his dexterity ; at other times she would boast of José 's marvelous skill , and pity Jack in advance for the defeat which she pretended was inevitable . Whether she pitied or praised , she seemed always sincere for the moment , so that Jack gave up any lingering hope of knowing how she really felt about it , and contented himself with the determination to deflect all the pity towards José when the time came , and keep the praise for himself .