about seven o'clock
They sneak down late at night or in the small hours of the morning to the corn and wheat fields , break the fences , and trample the crops in a way that spells disaster to many a settler . Some of the cattle belonging to my friend 's ranche had gone astray in this way , and we were unable to locate them . I remember we were sitting in our adobe house one evening , three or four of us together . It was about seven o'clock , and we had been talking over matters in connection with the decision of the `` boss '' to drive a bunch of cattle down to King City , where they would be entrained for ` Frisco . The `` boss '' was up at the other ranche . He had gone to ask the old settler to give us a hand with the cattle next day at the rodeo , or `` round-up . '' He had n't offered to take me with him .