midday
If you stuck a knife into him here Leith would shoot you . '' Kaipi nodded his head and trudged forward as Soma came sidling toward us . The Fijian 's desire to get revenge for his `` all same brother 's death '' was something that might be to our advantage later on , and I looked upon Kaipi as a staunch ally in the event of trouble . We ate our midday meal in the sombre silence and again plunged forward . The appearance of gayety which Barbara Herndon had tried to assume after we had left the Vermilion Pit had passed away , and once again there was the look of pathetic helplessness upon the faces of the two girls . During the luncheon Holman and I endeavoured to make conversation , but the thoughts of both were upon their surroundings , and they answered questions with an effort . The prison-like appearance of the valley , and the utter absence of sound , both of bird and insect life , had a depressing effect upon their nerves .