noon
`` Get out the scantlings for the house and shop , as the latter will be the first to receive our attention . We must have some place to put the things we have in the wagons . '' It is remarkable how quickly a set of men , working under intelligent directions , can carry out a purpose . The logs began coming in shortly after noon , and in the morning the saw was at work , and it did not cease its operations for many a day . The natives were so fascinated with it that they considered it a grief to leave it . But the Professor had other purposes in view . George and Tom were selected to make several looms , similar to the one brought from the Cataract .