nine o'clock
The men who worked at the Flying U hunted , and Chip hunted frantically . Chip just about worshipped that kid , and in spite of his calmness and his optimism when he talked to the Little Doctor , you can imagine the state of mind he was in . At sunrise they straggled in to the ranch , caught up fresh horses , swallowed a cup of coffee and what food they could choke down and started out again . At nine o'clock a party came out from Dry Lake , learned that the Kid was not yet found , and went out under a captain to comb systematically through the hills and the coulees . Before night all the able-bodied men in the country and some who were not -- were searching . It is astonishing how quickly a small army will volunteer in such an emergency ; and it does n't seem to matter very much that the country seems big and empty of people ordinarily . They come from somewhere , when they 're needed .