noon
`` Oh -- that was it ! '' `` You see I did n't have any rope or bridle along when I caught him ; so I just put him in the corral . And I could n't bring him home by the forelock when I had my arms full of lambs . I caught him just before noon . If he waited till I got around to him again in the regular course of herding , he would be pretty bad off for a drink . '' This statement of the case decided her at once . As far as her own needs were concerned , she could not ride the horse without a saddle even if she dared mount him again , which she would not ; but when she considered the animal 's thirst she decided to set her night fears aside .