nearly noon
It was comparatively easy to pick up the trail left by the rustlers and soon our friends were riding after them , though of course several hours behind them . But as had been said , the ground was of a nature that did not lend itself well to haste , and if the thieves stampeded their animals they would , very likely , lose them . They could only go so fast and Billee and his cowboys hoped soon to come up to the raiders . It was nearly noon when one of the cowboys who was riding on ahead , came to a stop on a little rise of land and , shading his eyes from the sun , looked long and earnestly off to his left . `` See anything ? '' asked Bud , who with his cousins rode up . `` I think so , but I 'm not sure , '' was the reply .