midnight
once my friend , then my foe , for he sided with the Mayhews against me . '' `` He did , and I have his diary , which tells the whole story ; but now let me tell mine , and then we can compare notes and decide what is best to be done . '' They first had supper , after staking out their horses , and afterward buried the body of the outlaw , Alvin Wolf . Then , until after midnight , they sat talking together , the surgeon , the scout , and the gold-hunter , about all that had happened , after which they retired to their blankets . It was just dawn the next morning when Wallace Weston rode away from the old camp to make all speed to Last Chance . His mission there was to take a letter to Driver Harding , which was as follows : `` Trust the bearer with your life . Pick out eight of the best men in the camp , whom you can trust , and have them pretend to start for W -- on business , going in your coach .