noon
On this point his companion said little ; and though he could not altogether comprehend the propriety of the pedler 's morals , he certainly did not see but that the necessity and pressing danger of his situation somewhat sanctioned the deceit . He suggested this idea to Bunce , but when he came to talk of the propriety of returning the animal the moment he was fairly in safety , the speculator failed entirely to perceive the moral of his philosophy . The sheriff 's officers came upon the wagoner a few hours after the two had separated from him . The intelligence received from him quickened their pace , and toward noon they descried our travellers ascending a hill a few hundred yards in advance of them . A repeated application of the spur brought them together , and , as had been anticipated by Rivers , Ralph offered not the slightest objection , when once satisfied of the legality of his arrest , to becoming their prisoner . But the consternation of Bunce was inexpressible . He endeavored to shelter himself in the adjoining woods , and was quietly edging his steed into the covert for that purpose , on the first alarm , but was not permitted by the sharp eyes and ready unscrupulosity of the robber representatives of the law .