noon
Bannon nodded and went on up the ladders . At the distributing floor he looked about for a long timber , and had the laborers lay it across the well opening . The ladders and landings occupied only about a third of the space ; the rest was open , a clear drop of eighty feet . At noon he found Max in an open space behind the office , screwing iron rings into the corners of a stout box . Max glanced up and laughed . `` I made Hilda promise not to come out here , '' he said . He waved his hand toward the back wall of the office .