About three o'clock in the
afternoon
`` We are , '' was the boy 's confident reply . `` And for the reason that we have followed a direct course and ridden rapidly , while the Indians took a roundabout way and moved slowly , being hampered by their stolen cattle . '' George 's calculations proved to be correct . About three o'clock in the afternoon they again took up the trail , and followed it at a gallop . They reached the peak just before dark , and found abundant evidence that the Indians had recently camped there . The troopers halted here too to get a little rest and a wink of sleep , but at nine o'clock they were once more on the move . The next halt was made about two in the morning , and at daylight they were again in their saddles and riding ahead as rapidly as ever .