two o'clock
Even had they failed to secure the safe the richer booty was theirs in having seized the girls . But few people in Arizona -- as Arizona then was constituted -- would make great effort to overhaul a gang of robbers whose only victim was Uncle Sam and `` his liveried hirelings . '' Nobody in Sonora would fail to regard them with envious eyes ; but in the deed of rapine that made them the captors and possessors of those defenceless sisters each man had put a price upon his head , a halter round his neck , for `` Gringo '' and `` Greaser , '' American and Mexican alike , would spring to arms to rescue and avenge . As the rearmost of the little party of pursuers disappeared in the darkness and the wearied pack-mules went jogging sullenly after , urged on by the goad of their half-Mexican driver , the sergeant left in charge of the detachment at the corral looked at his watch and noted that it was just half-past two o'clock . The dawn would be creeping on at four . Wearied as were his men he did not permit them all to rest . The condition of his wounded and the instructions left him by Lieutenant Drummond made it necessary that they should have constant attention .