noon
But mostly the thick stand of young poles had been laid low even as a scythe levels a field of grain . And these fallen poles lay in almost impassable confusion , twisted and tangled and in places heaped in towering masses . A barbed wire entanglement would hardly have been a worse obstacle . To penetrate the mass , even in the light of noon , would have been no easy work ; but to cross the area now , with dusk fast deepening to darkness , was indeed a difficult task . `` Well , '' said Lew , after a few searching glances at the burned area , `` we 've got to go on , and we might as well plow straight through it . I ca n't see that one way looks any easier than another . '' They went on , slowly , painfully .