nearly noon
Like myself , he has been a marked man from the hour when he held back from joining those who supported M'Bongwele , and it was but yesterday that the witch-doctors found a cause against him . His punishment was to begin this morning at sunrise . '' `` Oh , horror ! and it is now nearly noon , '' exclaimed the professor , in horrified accents . `` Why did you not mention it before , man ? What is the nature of the punishment ? '' `` His eyelids were to be cut off , and he was then to be pegged down on an ants ' nest and smeared with honey , that the insects might devour him alive , '' was the calm answer .