four o'clock
For he had heard the few short orders which Brayley had given , and he knew that to-day was a day of haste , with much to be done . But before they had cantered more than a mile across the rolling country to the west he saw that there was going to be no loitering . They had ridden slowly only until their horses had `` warmed up , '' and now , shaking out their reins loosely , they swept on at a pace which allowed of little conversation . They drew away from the Half Moon corrals at four o'clock . It was not yet six when they pulled in their panting , sweat-covered horses at the corrals of the Lone Dog . These corrals were at the lower , eastern end of the Lone Dog , and some ten miles from the Lone Dog bunk-house . To reach them the three men had ridden across three spurs of the mountains , across much rough country , and always at a swinging gallop .