noon
But no animals greeted their sight , as they passed over the long green swales of the prairie , mile after mile , now rising to the top of a little eminence , and now sinking into a shallow valley ; but occasionally a sneaking , stealthy coyote would noiselessly trot into view , and then , after cautiously surveying them from a distance , disappear , as Sandy said , `` as if he had sunk into a hole in the ground . '' It was in vain that they attempted to get near enough to one of these wary animals to warrant a shot . It is only by great good luck that anybody ever shoots a coyote , although in countries where they abound every man 's hand is against them ; they are such arrant thieves , as well as cowards . But at noon , while the little party was taking a luncheon in the shade of a solitary birch that grew by the side of a little creek , or runlet , Sandy , the irrepressible , with his bread and meat in his hand , darted off to the next roll of the prairie , a high and swelling hill , in fact , `` to see what he could see . '' As soon as the lad had reached the highest part of the swale , he turned around and swung his arms excitedly , too far off to make his voice heard . He jumped up and down , whirled his arms , and acted altogether like a young lunatic . `` The boy sees buffalo , '' said Younkins , with a smile of calm amusement .