midnight
It would take two days longer to gather the cattle on the Los Lobos range , and then there were the outside offerings , which were supposed to number fully two thousand . There was no excuse for not being choice . On returning to Los Lobos about dusk , rather than offend its owner , Flood consented to remain at the ranch overnight , but I rode for camp . Darkness had fallen on my reaching the wagon , the herd had been bedded down , and Levering felt so confident that the remuda was contented that he had concluded to night-herd them himself until midnight , and then turn them loose until dawn . He had belled a couple of the leaders , and assured me that he would have them in hand before sun-up . The cook was urging me to supper , but before unsaddling , I rode around both herd and remuda . The cattle were sleeping nicely , and the boys assured me that they had got a splendid fill on them before bedding down .