about midnight
Perhaps if he had had the old teamster there to swear for him he could have pulled through , but as it was he gave it up , dismounted , hunted a dry spot , and sat down to think and wait for something to turn up . Just before dark a large detail from Co. . Q , which had been sent back on an exploring expedition for Si and his team , reached the spot . After hours of prying and pushing and tugging and yelling they at length got the wagon over the slough , reaching camp about midnight . `` Orderly , '' said Si , `` I believe I 'd like to resign my place as mule-driver . It 's a nice , soft thing , but I 'd jest as lief let s ` mother feller have it , so I 'll take my gun an ' go to hoofin ' it agin ! '' `` SEEMS to me it 's ` bout time ter be gitt ' into a fite ! ''