noon
The waving leaves had looked like feathers in the starlight , by which alone Bud had seen them . `` Well , I was n't taking any chances , '' he said , when the cause of his alarm was ascertained . `` That 's right , '' Yellin ' Kid assured him . Morning saw the party in saddle again , and as better time could be made on the down trail , they reached the intervening plain of the valley , between the two mountain ranges well before noon . A halt was made for `` grub , '' and it was after this meal , when they were about to proceed again , that an astounding discovery was made . Dick gave the alarm . He had gone off a little way to get his pony , which had strayed , when he saw , on the far horizon , a band of horsemen .