five o'clock
muttered Billy Byrne , as he swung Brazos about so quickly that the little pony pivoted upon his hind legs and dashed away toward the south over the same trail he had just traversed . THE Brazos pony had traveled far that day but for only a trifle over ten miles had he carried a rider upon his back . He was , consequently , far from fagged as he leaped forward to the lifted reins and tore along the dusty river trail back in the direction of Orobo . Never before had Brazos covered ten miles in so short a time , for it was not yet five o'clock when , reeling with fatigue , he stopped , staggered and fell in front of the office building at El Orobo . Eddie Shorter had sat in the chair as Barbara and Billy had last seen him waiting until Byrne should have an ample start before arousing Grayson and reporting the prisoner 's escape . Eddie had determined that he would give Billy an hour . He grinned as he anticipated the rage of Grayson and the Villistas when they learned that their bird had flown , and as he mused and waited he fell asleep .