noon
This was the farthest from headquarters of all his parishes . An outpost station had been established there nine years before , under the name of Santa Ysabel , but , with only yearly visits since then , it was in a moribund condition and had not progressed beyond the architectural stage of a ramada , or brush shelter . A message had been sent a few days before -LRB- without Pio 's knowledge , as it happened -RRB- , telling the Indians to get the ramada ready for use , and giving the time of the Padre 's intended arrival . The little procession , Padre , six Indians , and two burros carrying the necessaries for the observance of mass , wound its way slowly up from the lower to the higher valley , and just before noon arrived at the top of the last rise before the Elcuanam , or Santa Ysabel , village should be reached . The Father was in the lead , our early acquaintance Jose close behind . They halted for a moment to rest before going on to the village . The Father noticed with gratification that the whole population was stationed on a hillock just beyond the village , evidently in expectation of his arrival ; but he wondered why the foolish people waited there , instead of hastening to meet him .