nearly noon
Early upon the morning of the fourth day of their journey the travellers noted that the plain began to rise and sink in longer waves . Presently they found themselves approaching a series of rude and wild-looking hills of sand , among which they wound deviously as they might , confronted often by forbidding buttes and lofty dunes whose only sign of vegetation was displayed in a ragged fringe of grass which waved like a scalp lock here and there upon the summits . For many miles they travelled through this difficult and cheerless region , the horses soon showing signs of distress and all the party feeling need of water , of which the supply had been exhausted . It was nearly noon while they were still involved in this perplexing region , and as none of the party had ever seen the country before , none could tell how long it might be before they would emerge from it . They pushed on in silence , intent upon what might be ahead , so that when there came an exclamation from the half-witted Mexican , whose stolid silence under most circumstances had become a proverb among them , each face was at once turned toward him . `` Eh , what 's that , Juan ? '' said Curly -- `` Say , boys , he says we 're about out of the sand hills .