noon
But Loving had driven it before , and knew fully what was before him as we trailed out under a noonday sun . An evening halt was made for refreshing the inner man , and as soon as darkness settled over us the herd was again started . We were conscious of the presence of Indians , and deceived them by leaving our camp-fire burning , but holding our effects closely together throughout the night , the remuda even mixing with the cattle . When day broke we were fully thirty miles from our noon camp of the day before , yet with the exception of an hour 's rest there was never a halt . A second day and night were spent in forging ahead , though it is doubtful if we averaged much over a mile an hour during that time . About fifteen miles out from the Pecos we were due to enter a cañon known as Castle Mountain Gap , some three or four miles long , the exit of which was in sight of the river . We were anxious to reach the entrance of this cañon before darkness on the third day , as we could then cut the cattle into bunches , the cliffs on either side forming a lane .