noon
commanded Rolling Stone . `` They 'll shoot them off first crack out of the box , for they 'll know we 're done for without our animals . '' As the rescuers had been about to move when the approaching party was discovered , and as some of the cowboys actually had their horses in hand , the securing of the remainder of the steeds was a work of no great moment . At one edge of the roughly outlined circle in which the noon camp had been pitched , was a group of big rocks , that would make a natural stable and hiding place for the horses . The animals were led into this little corral , and made fast there by lariats . As much of the baggage as possible was piled in with the horses . This much done by Bud and his friends it was necessary to look to themselves , for the strange horsemen were slowly but surely coming on , and it was beyond question that they had entirely surrounded our heroes .