noon
The unfortunate infant sucked ravenously at the nut , filled its stomach with the young cocoa-nut juice , vomited violently , and wailed . Emmeline in despair clasped it to her naked breast , wherefrom , in a moment , it was hanging like a leech . It knew more about babies than they did . At noon , in the shallows of the reef , under the burning sun , the water would be quite warm . They would carry the baby down here , and Emmeline would wash it with a bit of flannel . After a few days it scarcely ever screamed , even when she washed it . It would lie on her knees during the process , striking valiantly out with its arms and legs , staring straight up at the sky .