two
o'clock in the afternoon
We was camped up near the ` Peterified ' Forest on our way back to the headquarter ranch . We 'd been down to the railroad with a bunch of steers , and expected to bust the outfit up for the winter when we got back to the ranch . It were late in November , an ' you all know how everlastin ' cold it gits ` long in November an ' December . `` Well , ` long comes one of them tearin ' howlin ' sandstorms ` bout two o'clock in the afternoon , and the wagon boss camped us under the lee of a hill and would n't go any furder . And 't was well he did , too , fer the wind blowed a gale , snow begin to fall , and ag ` in sunset it was as ornery a piece of weather as I ever seen anywheres . You all know wood 's pow ` ful skeerce up thar , too , and all the cook had was sage brush an ' ` chips . ' `` We put in a mis ` able night .