four o'clock in the afternoon
On the other hand , the man who had caused them to fear that a stranger had surprised them , and that they had been trapped , was Ramerrez or Johnson -- the name that he had assumed for the dangerous work he was about to engage in -- and they had failed to know him , dressed as he was in the very latest fashion prevailing among the Americans in Sacramento in ' 49 . Nor was it to be wondered at , for on his head was a soft , brown hat -- large , but not nearly the proportions of a sombrero ; a plain , rough tweed coat and a waistcoat of a darker tan , which showed a blue flannel shirt beneath it ; and his legs were encased in boots topped by dark brown leggings . In a word , his get-up resembled closely the type of American referred to disdainfully by the miners of that time as a Sacramento guy ; whereas , the night before he had taken great pains to attire himself as gaudily as any of the Mexicans at the dance , and he had worn a short black jacket of a velvety material that was not unlike corduroy and covered with braid ; his breeches were of the same stuff ; above his boots were leather gaiters ; and around his waist was a red sash . It was now close to four o'clock in the afternoon and the band began their preparations for the raid . To the rear of the small , open space where they had been waiting was a fairly good-sized cave , in the opening of which they deposited various articles unnecessary for the expedition . It took only a short time to do this , and within half an hour from the time that their leader had so startled them by his strange appearance , the outlaws were ready to take the trail for Cloudy Mountain . One comprehensive glance the pseudo-American -- and he certainly looked the part -- shot at his picturesque , if rough-looking followers , not a few of whom showed red bandannas under their sombreros or around their necks -- and then with a satisfied expression on his face -- for he had a leader 's pride in his men -- he gave the signal and led the way along and down the steep trail from the tableland .