About noon
Many rare species were found in seed , and he gathered a load for all three , to be carried on to their halting place , and stored until their return from the mountains . Those species that were yet only in flower he noted down in his memorandum-book . They would be ripe for him on his way back . About noon they halted to refresh themselves . The spot they had chosen was in a grove of purple magnolias , whose splendid flowers were in full bloom , and scented the air around with their sweet perfume . A crystal stream , -- a mere rivulet , -- trickled in its deep bed through the midst of the grove , and the movement of its waters seemed to produce a refreshing coolness in the surrounding atmosphere . They had just unbuckled their packs , intending to lunch , and remain an hour or so on the ground , when some animal was heard moving among the bushes on the other side of the rivulet .