noon
They had to sleep in the open the next night , but Mr. Hardy built a big fire , and , well wrapped in their blankets , the boys were not uncomfortable , even though it was cold on the mountain from the time the sun went down . It was cold , too , the next morning , as they crawled from their warm coverings , but when their guide had thrown a lot of wood on the glowing embers , causing them to spring into a fine blaze , the boys got up and helped prepare breakfast . `` We 're almost there , '' said Mr. Hardy , as they mounted their horses to resume their trip . They rode until shortly before noon , when Mr. Hardy suddenly pulled his horse up and said : `` Here 's as far as we can go , boys , until we get word from Mr. Tevis . There 's the tree where I leave the messages . '' He pointed to a big oak that had been struck by lightning , and split partly down the immense trunk . One blackened branch stuck up .