midday
It has taken us six hours to get down here ; it wo n't take them three . Well , I hope we shall get on the move an hour or two before they do . If they wait until daylight before advancing there will be a lot of hubbub and talk before they really make up their minds that we have really slipped through their fingers , and arrange for a start . Still , by midday we shall be having them behind us if we ca n't find the way to throw them off . '' `` I 'd willingly take twenty ounces for my share of that gold , to be paid to me at Santa Fé , '' Boston Joe said . `` So would I , Joe ; there ai n't no denying it , we are in a tight place , and unless we find some way out of it in the morning , my own opinion is that we have only got one chance , and that is to leave all the horses behind us and to take our rifles and a loaf of bread each , and to start back on foot . '' `` I should not wonder if we came to that , '' Zeke said ; `` but we will hold on for a few hours , and , anyhow , before we leave them we will hide them bags .