eleven o'clock before
`` Yes , when I get him there , '' answered the Texan blandly , carefully oblivious of the other 's implication . The moon was beginning to show itself over a hill before the Texan and Siegfried took the road with their captive . Fraser had carelessly let drop a remark to the effect that they would spend the night at the Dillon ranch . His watch showed eleven o'clock before they reached the ranch , but he pushed on without turning in and did not stop until they came to the Howard place . They roused Alec from sleep , and he cooked them a post-midnight supper , after which he saddled his cow pony , buckled on his belt , and took down his old rifle from the rack . `` I 'll jog along with you lads and see the fun , '' he said . Their prisoner had not eaten .