seven o'clock
And even now as they stood there , he and Toomey , exchanging at intervals some low-toned words at the switch , the eastward skies were slowly taking on their early morning garb of pink and violet , the eastward fronts of the snow-sifted peaks and domes far to the north and south were lighting up with wondrous hues of gold and crimson ; the stars aloft were paling and the moon was sinking low , and still big 705 stood hissing and grumbling placidly on the long siding , and the green lights back at the caboose blinked sleepily against the dawn . Two glimmering threads of light in rigid right lines , converging far beyond the rear of the train , stretched eastward from their feet until lost in the shadows of Buffalo Butte , and not yet had Toomey 's accustomed ear been able to detect the faint , whirring , song of the rails that tells of the coming of far-distant , thundering wheels . `` She 's late again , '' said Toomey , uneasily . `` We should have heard her whistling for Spearman 's Ranch five minutes ago , and I wanted to pull you out of Argenta before seven o'clock . '' `` You still think I 'm not grimy enough , '' said Geordie , with a grin . `` I can lay on a coat of coal-dust -- '' '' ` Tis n't that , '' came the murmured answer , with a shake of the head . `` It 's the back and shoulders , sir .