about 4:30
Two men on `` day herd '' at a time could handle them easily enough , and as there were nine of us , or enough for three guards of three men each , we did n't have anything much to complain of . -LSB- Illustration : '' _ The men on day herd could hold them easily _ '' -RSB- `` Old Dad , '' the cook , built pies and puddings that were never excelled anywhere , and occasionally he 'd have a plum duff for supper that simply exhausted the culinary art . The steers were , as the boys say , `` a rolicky lot of oxen . '' Most every night they would take a little run , and it usually took all hands an hour or so to get them back to the bed ground and quieted down , which did n't tend to make us any better natured when the cook yelled , `` Roll out , roll out , '' about 4:30 every morning . The weather had been lovely ever since we started in , but this evening it had clouded up , and in the west , toward sunset , great `` thunder-heads '' had piled up and little detached patches had gone scudding across the sky , although below on the prairie not a breath of air was stirring . The muttering roll of heaven 's artillery was sounding , and occasionally up toward the mountains a flame of lightning would shoot through the rapidly darkening sky . By eight o'clock , when the first guard rode out to take the herd for their three hours ' watch , it was almost black dark .