eight o'clock
Most every night they would take a little run , and it usually took all hands an hour or so to get them back to the bed ground and quieted down , which did n't tend to make us any better natured when the cook yelled , `` Roll out , roll out , '' about 4:30 every morning . The weather had been lovely ever since we started in , but this evening it had clouded up , and in the west , toward sunset , great `` thunder-heads '' had piled up and little detached patches had gone scudding across the sky , although below on the prairie not a breath of air was stirring . The muttering roll of heaven 's artillery was sounding , and occasionally up toward the mountains a flame of lightning would shoot through the rapidly darkening sky . By eight o'clock , when the first guard rode out to take the herd for their three hours ' watch , it was almost black dark . The foreman or `` wagon boss '' of the outfit came out with them , asked how the cattle acted , and told the boys to be very careful , and if the herd drifted before the rain , if possible , to try and keep them pointed from the cedars , for fear of losing them . -LSB- Music : THE COWBOY 'S `` SWEET BYE AND BYE '' -RSB- THE COWBOY 'S `` SWEET BYE AND BYE '' Last night as I lay on the prairie And looked at the stars in the sky , I wondered if ever a cowboy Would drift to that sweet bye and bye ?