noon
Either the jack escaped , or confused by the noise , darted back again , fleeing away as if his life depended on the issue of the instant . Once even , a bewildered rabbit jumped fair into Mrs. Derrick 's lap as she sat in the carry-all , and was out again like a flash . `` Poor frightened thing , '' she exclaimed ; and for a long time afterward , she retained upon her knees the sensation of the four little paws quivering with excitement , and the feel of the trembling furry body , with its wildly beating heart , pressed against her own . By noon the number of rabbits discernible by Annixter 's field glasses on ahead was far into the thousands . What seemed to be ground resolved itself , when seen through the glasses , into a maze of small , moving bodies , leaping , ducking , doubling , running back and forth -- a wilderness of agitated ears , white tails and twinkling legs . The outside wings of the curved line of vehicles began to draw in a little ; Osterman 's ranch was left behind , the drive continued on over Quien Sabe . As the day advanced , the rabbits , singularly enough , became less wild .