Four o'clock
He lay there looking up at the stars shining in the clear heavens and thinking how peaceful , how far removed from strife or battle , they seemed to be . Then he kept an eye on Jim , and was glad to note that the darkey seemed alert and aware of his responsibilities , for every few minutes he would creep out and peer around the shoulder of the ledge where he could get a better view of anything going on down in the road , and , after half an hour of this sort of thing , he reported to Pike that he `` reckoned the whole gang had gone to sleep down there . '' The old trooper assured him , however , that some must be on the alert and warned him to relax in no way his vigilance , and then at last wearied Nature asserted her rights , and the soldier fell asleep . Four o'clock came , -- five o'clock , -- and there had been no sound from below . Then , far in the east the skies began to hoist their colors in honor of the coming Day God , and rich crimson and purple soon blended with the richer gold , and all around the rocky fastness the pale , wan light of the infant morn stole over rock and tree , and still old Pike slept , but not the deep , restful slumber of three hours before . He was dreaming , and his dreams were troubled , for his limbs were twitching ; he rolled over and moaned aloud ; inarticulate sounds escaped from his lips ; but still , as one laboring with nightmare , he could not wake -- could not shake off the visions that oppressed him . In his sleep he saw , and saw beyond possibility of doubt , that the Apaches were hurriedly rousing their comrades ; that they were quickly picking up their rifles and then nimbly speeding up the rocks ; that even as they came towards him up the mountain side several of their number went crouching along towards the east and eagerly watching the roadway through the Pass , and , following their fierce eyes , he could see , winding up the gorge , coming at a trot , a troop of the longed-for cavalry -- coming not from the west , as he had expected , but from the direction of the magnificent sunrise that flashed on their carbines and tinged the campaign hats with crimson .