four o'clock
But , as was to be expected of his father 's son and his Kentucky blood , Sandy could not bid farewell to his associates at the ranch or the citizens of the little cow and mining town on the Big Horn without a parting `` blow out , '' in which his health was drunk a dozen times an hour . Oh , that he had that money now instead of certain unpaid bills in that ravished secret drawer ! It was humiliation inexpressible to have to send those men away empty-handed , and in his dejection and misery , poor boy , he wandered to his sideboard instead of going to luncheon at the mess , and all he had had to eat or drink that day , by the time Mrs. Ray and Maidie came late in the afternoon , was some crackers and cheese and he did n't know how many nips of that priceless Blue Grass Bourbon . The bright , brave young eyes were glassy and his dark cheek heavily flushed when at four o'clock he hastened out to assist his mother from her carriage , and the color fled from her beautiful face ; her heart seemed to stand still and her hand trembled violently as she noted it all , but took his arm without a word , and , with Maidie silently following , went up the steps and into the little army home , where the door closed behind them , and the knot of lookers-on , officers awaiting the call for afternoon stables , glanced significantly at each other , then went on their way . Vinton 's flotilla came steaming into Honolulu harbor just as the smoke of the Doric was fading away on the westward horizon . Cheers and acclamations , a banquet tendered to the entire force in the beautiful grounds about the Palace , and a welcome such as even San Francisco had not given awaited them . Three days were spent in coaling for the long voyage to Manila , and during that time officers and men were enabled to spend hours in sea-bathing and sight-seeing .