about noon
`` I do , you bet , '' was the frank rejoinder . `` Well , I 'LL bet that I 'll be sorry I did n't leave you with mother . '' `` Nell -- you never will ! '' They reached Albuquerque about noon , and this important station , where they had to change trains , had been the first dreaded anticipation of the journey . It certainly was a busy place -- full of jabbering Mexicans , stalking , red-faced , wicked-looking cowboys , lolling Indians . In the confusion Helen would have been hard put to it to preserve calmness , with Bo to watch , and all that baggage to carry , and the other train to find ; but the kindly brakeman who had been attentive to them now helped them off the train into the other -- a service for which Helen was very grateful . `` Albuquerque 's a hard place , '' confided the trainman .