noon
How far do you call Sunk Creek now ? '' `` Well , '' said the Virginian , calculating , `` it 's mighty nigh fo ` ty miles from Muddy Crossin ' , an ' I reckon we 've come eighteen . '' `` Just about . It 's noon . '' Balaam snapped his watch shut . `` We 'll rest here till 12:30 . '' When it was time to go , the Virginian looked musingly at the mountains .