midnight
I could have remained for hours ; but the sinking sun admonished me to hasten away . I was nearly twenty miles from our camp , and my horse was neither strong nor fresh . Determined , therefore , to return on the morrow , bringing with me my companions and all that belonged to us , I turned my horse 's head and rode back . It was late in the night -- near midnight -- when I reached camp . I found everything as I had left it , except that Mary was in great anxiety about what had delayed me so long . But my return , and the discovery which I communicated , soon restored her spirits ; and we laid out our plans for changing our camp to the valley , determined to set forth at an early hour in the morning . '' `` We were stirring by sunrise next morning ; and having breakfasted heartily , we packed our wagon and started away from our camp , which we had named ` Camp Antelope . '