noon
Thank God they had not , as they had first intended , waited for the break of day . Another dawn and Stout and most of his men had pushed on after the Apaches and in quest of the troop at Sunset Pass . By short stages the soldiers left in charge were to move the wounded homeward . By noon these latter were halted under the willows by a little stream . The guards were busy filling canteens and watering pack mules , when the single sentry threw his rifle to the position of `` ready '' and the gun lock clicked loud . Over the stony ridge to the west , full a thousand yards away , came a little band of riders in single file , four men in all . Wren was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion .