noon
The next morning Pat had a change from the tedium of the desert . With the others he struck into a narrow canyon that led out to a beaten trail upon a rolling mesa . The trail wound diagonally across the mesa from the south and lost itself in snake-like twistings among hills to the north . Guided to the right into this trail , Pat found himself , a little before noon , in a tiny Mexican settlement . It was a squat hamlet , nestling comfortably among the hills , made up of a few adobes , a lone well , and a general store . The store was at the far end , and toward this his young master directed him . As they rode on Pat noticed a queer commotion .