noon
`` It might be worse , '' commented Tom . `` Now if they 'll help us pack up we 'll travel on . '' More sign language was resorted to , and the chief , after another present had been made to him , sent some of his men to help put the packs on the animals . The steers , which Tom did not regard with much favor , proved to be better than the mules , and by noon our friends were all packed up again , and ready to take the trail . The chief gave them a good dinner , -- as native dinners go , -- and then , after telling them that , though he had never seen the giants it had long been known that they inhabited the country to the north , he waved a friendly good-bye . `` Well , we 'll see what luck we 'll have by ourselves , '' remarked Tom , as he mounted a bony mule , an example followed by Ned , Mr. Damon and Eradicate , They had left behind some of their goods , and so did not have so much to carry . Food they had in condensed form and they were getting into the more tropical part of the country where game abounded .