noon
`` How about you , Walt ? '' `` What I want most of anything in the world just at this minute , is to see daylight . Is n't night outside yet , is it ? '' `` No , it is only just past noon , '' the miner informed him . `` Always have a total eclipse of the sun down here , '' muttered Ned humorously , but no one paid any attention to his feeble joke . `` If you are ready we will be going now , '' announced their guide . `` Fall in behind me and go very carefully .