noon
They meant to follow until nearly dawn , and then , passing around , hurry to the cove , where the schooner , without their warning , might be unloading supplies before nightfall into the very arms of the Mexicans . Before dawn they faintly saw the troop ahead , and then , turning to the left , they put their mustangs into the long easy lope of the frontier , not slowing down , until they were sure that they were at least three or four miles beyond the Mexicans . But they continued at a fast walk , and ate their breakfasts in the saddle . They rode through the same beautiful country , but without people , and they knew that if nothing unusual occurred they would see the sea by noon . Ned went over their directions once more . The cove ran back from the sea about a mile , and its entrance was a strait not more than thirty yards wide , but deep . In fact , the entire cove was deep , being surrounded by high forested banks except at the west , into which a narrow but deep creek emptied .