ten o'clock
`` If you agree , sir , I 'll ride up and spend the night with him . '' `` Then go by all means . I know father would approve it . '' It was after ten o'clock when the waning moon came peering over the barrier ridge at the east . Over an hour had passed since Sergeant Wells , on his big sorrel , had ridden away up the stream on the trail to Farron 's . Phillips had pressed upon him a Henry repeating rifle , which he had gratefully accepted . It could not shoot so hard or carry so far as the sergeant 's Springfield carbine , the cavalry arm ; but to repel a sudden onset of yelling savages at close quarters it was just the thing , as it could discharge sixteen shots without reloading .