about
noon
Mr. Kent was so excited he did not know what to do . He insisted on shaking hands with Jack , Nat , John and Mr. Ranger every other minute . As for Jack 's father , he soon felt better because of the medicine , and when the securing of the prisoners was completed , he found he was able to mount a spare horse and proceed . It was decided to take an easy trail , some of the cowboys knew of , back to a place near where the boys had been held captive , and about noon the cavalcade reached the cave near the mine , from which the lads had escaped . But a great change had taken place . The breaking of the flume , and the shutting off of the water had backed up the stream , which had been allowed to run all night , and in consequence , the whole surface of the hill , against which the hydraulic operations had been directed , was washed away . It was difficult to get the horses past it , for there was a big hole .