midnight
They followed in the path of the flying Mexicans who , they were quite sure , would make for Cos and San Antonio . The Ring Tailed Panther knew the most direct course and as the moon was good they could also see the trail left by the Mexicans . It was marked further by grim objects , two wounded horses that had died in the flight , and then by a man succumbing , who had been buried in a grave so shallow that no one could help noticing it . A little after midnight they saw a light ahead , and they judged by the motions that a man was waving a torch . `` It ca n't be a trap , '' said Obed , `` because the Mexicans would not stop running until they were long past here . '' `` An ' there ai n't no cover where that torch is , '' added the Ring Tailed Panther . `` Then suppose we ride forward and see what it means , '' said Ned .