noon
The last time he came sliding down to the others his face was not so heavy with anxiety and his voice when he spoke had a new briskness . `` There 's a ranch of some kind straight ahead about two miles , '' he announced . `` I could see a green patch , so there must be water around there somewhere . We 'll make noon camp there , and maybe we can dig up a little information . Ramon must have stopped there for water , and we 'll find out just how far we are behind . '' The ranch , when they finally neared it , proved to be a huddle of low , octagon-shaped huts -LRB- called hogans -RRB- made of short cedar logs and plastered over with adobe , with a hole in the center of the lid-like roof to let the smoke out and a little light in ; and dogs , that ran out and barked and yelped and trailed into mourning rumbles and then barked again ; and half-naked papooses that scurried like rabbits for shelter when they rode up ; and two dingy , shapeless squaws that disappeared within a hogan and peered out at one side of the blanket door . Luck started to dismount and make some attempt at a polite request for water , and for information as well , but Applehead objected and finally had his way .