midnight
`` Then where is Simms and your wife ? '' asked Barbara . `` You see it will take the others much longer to ride up from Lone Pine than it took us to climb the trappers ' trail , so they ca n't possibly arrive for some time yet . We-all just got here , and we left Oak Creek at midnight , '' explained one of the men , encouraging the two girls . `` But we-all stopped on the way and cooked breakfast and fed our hosses . Simms and his party will ride right up and ought to be ha ' r pritty soon , now , '' said Bill . `` How about leavin ' some one here at Four Mile Blaze to direct the Simms ' party , while we-all ride on with Sam to hunt those three claim-jumpers , '' suggested one of the possé .