midnight
Now and then one of the free ones would graze out a little distance , cautiously sniff the air , then trot back to the others . We built up a big fire to scare away any bear or wolves that might he in the vicinity , but the horses stayed like invited guests , perfectly contented as long as we would pet them and talk to them . Some of the boys crawled under the wagon , hoping to get a little sleep , rather than spread their bed where a horse could stampede over it . Near midnight we took ropes and saddle blankets and drove them several hundred yards from camp . The rest of the night we slept with one eye open , expecting every moment to hear them take fright and return . They did n't , but at daylight every horse was within five hundred yards of the wagon , and when we unhobbled them and broke camp that morning , we had to throw riders in the lead to hold them back . '' On the conclusion of Scales 's experience , there was no lack of volunteers to take up the thread , though an unwritten law forbade interruptions .