midnight
It was just at the peep of day , after a glorious burst over the bounding turf , that Chrome 's little battalion , some two hundred and forty strong , riding in broad column of fours , and guided by old Thunder Hawk himself , turned squarely to the left at the head of a long , dark , winding ravine , and , diminishing front to two abreast , and steadying down to the walk again , dove out of sight among the tortuous depths . Thirty minutes more and the Ska was foaming about the horses ' bellies as they boldly forded the stream , every man whipping out and raising carbine as his steed plunged in . Then , turning southwestward , close under the bluffs of the Indian shore , they rode within the reservation lines at last , with the dawn no longer at the sabre hand , but at the bridle . Peering out through the dim ghostly light , long miles to the south , were the Uncapapa scouts , watching for the first sign of the coming of the column that , slipping away from before them in the darkness of midnight , had ridden in wide circuit around and across their front , burrowed into the earth at the first blush of the morning sky , reappeared dripping on the left bank of the bordering stream , the Rubicon of the reservation , and now was swiftly bearing down upon the devoted village from a quarter utterly unsuspected . `` Just 4.15 , '' said Cranston , glancing at his watch as soon as it was possible to see . `` How do you feel , Davies ? '' `` Better than I have for a month , though tired .