noon
They watched the machine until it had disappeared in the cloud mists to the east . Then they awoke . All saw the game of their rivals now . By making the Sky-Bird 's crew believe they did not intend to leave until noon , the latecomers would be inclined to take their time fitting up for the next hop , and this would give the _ Clarion 's _ party a chance to make a sudden exit and gain a good lead before the others could get under way . There was no getting around it -- Pete Deveaux was clever , if he were a rascal . This our friends had to admit to themselves , despite their dislike of the fellow . His methods of getting the best of them seemed to have no limit ; and yet thus far they had been able to cling , by the hardest kind of work , right at his heels .