Sentence:  “Been huntin' fuh mah mule. Anybody seen 'im?” he asked. / “Seen 'im <WSD>soon</WSD> dis mornin' over behind de school-house,” Lum said. “"Bout ten o'clock or so. He musta been out all night tuh be way over dere dat early.” 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Early.