midday
I hate to even think of the horrible object and I only hope that I will not dream of it these nights . '' Then the boys rowed swiftly away from the place where they had had such a thrilling encounter and never once looked back at it . After the boys had gone some little distance from the water cave they pulled at a more easy stroke and began to talk again , their thrilling experience with the devil fish having made them silent for a time . They did not allude to it again , but talked of other matters , Percival saying as they neared a green , shady wood where the trees grew thick and cast a deep shade on the white sands and showed a more than twilight darkness in their farther recesses , everything being quiet and peaceful within those heavy shadows : `` That 's a place where everything seems to be asleep even at midday , Jack . It looks like the cave of the seven sleepers that we used to read about in mythology . '' `` It seems quiet enough for a fact , '' said Jack with a smile , `` but it is hot outside and the birds are probably all taking a rest . Probably just before dawn or at sunset you would hear them making noise enough . ''