three o'clock
See how they 're scudding away at the southward even now . Just keep covered and you 're all right . '' And , barring a growl or two from favored old hands who sought to make the captain take his own medicine and himself keep covered , the answer was full of cheer . And so they waited through the hot smoke and sunshine of the autumn afternoon , and , even while comforting the wounded with assurance of coming relief , kept vigilant watch on every hostile move , and at last , toward three o'clock , the sharp fire about them slackened away , the smouldering roots of the bunch grass had burned themselves out . The smoke drifted away from the prairie , and , as the landscape cleared to the south and west , a cheer of delight went up from the cottonwoods , for the slopes three miles away were dotted here and there and everywhere with circling , scurrying war ponies -- they and their wild riders steadily falling back before a long rank of disciplined horsemen , the extended skirmish line of Webb 's squadron , backed by supports at regular intervals , and all heading straight on for the broad lowlands of the Elk . `` Send six of your men over to the south front , sergeant , '' were Ray 's orders to Winsor , as he hurried over to join Clayton again . `` They may try one final charge from that side , and give us a chance to empty a few more saddles . ''