noon
before
The pony ran toward it on a gallop , and as soon as we could unhitch the others they joined her . They all waded in , and drank till we feared they would never be able to wade out again . Then they stood taking little sips , and letting their lips rest just on the surface and blinking dreamily . We knew that they stood almost as much in need of food as of water , as they had had nothing but the hay since the noon before . There was a field of corn half a mile away , on a side-hill , but no house in sight . `` I 'm going after some of that corn , '' I said to the others . `` If I ca n't find the owner to buy it , then I 'll help myself . ''