four in the
afternoon
And then , little by little , it transpired that this mysterious war party , venturing to the south bank of the Platte , did not exceed half a dozen braves . Crabb got back in thirty-six hours , with five exhausted men . They had followed the wheel tracks over the open prairie and into the foothills far to the Northwest , emboldened by the evidence of there being but few ponies in the original bandit escort . But , by four in the afternoon , they got among the breaks and ravines and , first thing they knew , among the Indians , for zip came the bullets and down went two horses , and they had to dismount and fight to stand off possible swarms , and , though owning they had seen no Indians , they had proof of having felt them , and were warranted in pushing no further . After dark they began their slow retreat and here they were . And for seven days that was the last heard , by the garrison , at least , of these most recent captives of the Sioux . Gentle and sympathetic women , however , who called on Mrs. Hay , were prompt to note that though unnerved , unstrung , distressed , she declared again and again her faith that the Indians would never really harm her husband .