noon
Then , after a thoughtful pause , he went back to his original statement as something that expressed the limit of his understanding . `` It sure do beat hell . '' So it was throughout the morning . And by noon every soul in the camp had seen or heard of Minky 's contemplated recklessness . The place was wild with excitement , and , instead of setting out for their various claims for the usual day 's work , every man went out to scrape together any `` dust '' he possessed , and brought it in to trade . And Minky bought with perfect good-humor , discounting at the recognized tariff , but always with solemn eyes , and a mind still wondering at his overnight interview with Wild Bill . He had obeyed him implicitly , knowing that he was making a liberal profit for himself , whatever the gambler might be risking .