three o'clock in the afternoon
Brenda had reached her Western uncle just as he was starting on one of his periodical moves -- this time to Arizona . The different social status of the families of the two brothers was unusual , but not impossible in our country . One of the brothers was ambitious , of steady habits , and possessed of a receptive mind ; the other was idle , impatient of restraint , with a disinclination to protracted effort of any kind . The distance to the first camp beyond Fort Wingate where we were sure to find water was twenty-two miles ; and it being impossible for us to leave the post before three o'clock in the afternoon , we determined to make a dry camp five and a half miles out . When Frank and Henry learned that the start was not to be an early one they rode out to the Arnold camp with the information , and the former was duly presented to Miss Brenda . Gypsy was brought into the fort and shod , and returned to her mistress in season for the march . The evening was well advanced when we pitched our tents at the dry camp .