noon
By that hour we figured we should have reached the outskirts of the regular diggings , where , our experience told us , our companions would be safe . Accordingly we pushed our mounts hard . Unhampered by pack-animals , and aided by knowledge of the route , we made great progress . By noon we had passed the meadow of our night 's camp . After a hasty lunch we accompanied our men a few miles farther , then said farewell and godspeed , and hurried back in order to reach home before sunset . We cooked ourselves a meal , and built ourselves a fire . About midnight we heard the sounds of horses rapidly approaching .