noon
The time dragged terribly . In his work on the school farm Glen had learned to use the sun for a clock quite accurately , so there was no deceiving himself as to time . He had eaten a good breakfast before leaving the Gates ' home so there was no occasion for excessive hunger , but he did get very thirsty . Looking down through the old quarry he fancied he saw a pump , and when the sun reached its noon zenith he crept cautiously down and satisfied his thirst . There was no one in sight , yet he felt afraid to venture toward the town before dark , and went back to his hiding place . On the way back he made a great find . Some careless workman had left a mallet and chisel lying by a huge slab of stone .