about seven o'clock
We recollected that Murden , in his letter , alluded to the lady , and although we were not impatient to see her , we know that she would have some claims upon our hospitality for her husband 's sake , and to prevent her from breaking out into open mutiny , we made some few preparations to receive the lady with becoming honors . We got out a small tent that we owned , and had made on the passage from San Francisco to Australia , and pitched it near the store for the express accommodation of the bride and groom , and then stocked it with a mattress and blankets , and thought the lady would be delighted at our delicate attentions . We even kept back supper an hour , and added a number of little luxuries , on purpose to give her an agreeable surprise , and show that we were still susceptible of woman 's influence and beauty . At about seven o'clock we heard the rumbling of wheels , and the loud , quick crack of a stockman 's whip . Smith glanced anxiously towards the supper , and was visibly agitated , as though he expected to receive disastrous news . Rover , who had been lying near the door , waiting with remarkable patience for his supper , uttered a howl , and retreated towards the horses , as though to communicate some bad intelligence . `` Why do n't you stop the team , if this is the place , you confounded fool ? ''