noon
The herd never fails . Faith in cattle is always rewarded . From that far distant dawn when man and his ox started across the ages the one has ever sustained the other . The two rear beef herds promptly reached the Beaver the next morning , slaked their thirst , and passed on before noon . `` This lets me out as your guest , '' said Priest to the boys , when the last herd was trimmed . `` Bob Quirk will now follow with six herds of contract cattle . He 's the foreman of the second herd of beeves , but Mr. Lovell detailed him to oversee this next division across to the Platte .