They were still coming, for he could hear the pound of hoofs.
The ranch was behind him.

Clear starlight was all around, and the bulk of near mountains.

The road seemed sandy, yielding beneath the pound of Sunfish's hoofs.

Bud leaned forward again in the saddle, and planned what he would do when he reached Crater; found time, also, to hope that Marian had gone back, and had not heard the shooting.
Another dog barked, this time on the right.

Bud saw that they were passing a picket fence.