noon
The bulkheads groaned , the booms creaked against the masts , every particle of grease being speedily absorbed ; while , if the hand touched a piece of metal , it felt as if heated by the fire . Two of the youngsters of the crew were actually amusing themselves by frying a slice of meat on a bit of tin exposed to the sun . As one looked along the deck , one could see the heat-mist playing over every object , on which the eye rested . If it is hot thus early in the day , what will it become by noon , we thought , unless a breeze spring up to cool us ? However , no breeze did spring up , and hotter and hotter it grew , if possible , till Dick Harper declared we should all be roasted , and become a fat morsel for one of the big sea-serpents which were known to frequent those seas . We got an awning spread , and breakfasted on deck , for below it was insupportable ; and though we none of us starved ourselves , we were unable to do the ample justice we generally did to the viands . Van Graoul lighted his pipe , and leaning back in his chair , watched the smoke , with calm composure , ascending in a perpendicular column above his nose .