noon
He stared down the trail with narrowed , keen eyes . How Naida had contrived to leave her signal was more than they knew . The fact that she _ had _ done so , sent all three of them down the trail at driving speed . An hour passed , then another , and the morning which had been barely born when they first took the trail , wore on to the sultriness and vast , colored light of a tropical noon . Twice the main trail forked , and twice they found an unobtrusive bit of cloth to guide them beyond the works . When the hands of Kirby 's still useful watch pointed to twelve , they paused to eat and rest . Then they pushed on .