noon
It is about four hours hence , so we shall be through it well before noon . But why must we pass through it before noon ? Joseph asked . Because , the captain answered , the rocks on either side are heated after noon like the walls of an oven , and man and beast choke in it . But once we get out of the valley , we shall have pleasant country . You know the hills , Sir ; and Joseph remembered the rounded hills and Azariah 's condemnation of the felling of the forests , a condemnation that the captain agreed with ; for though it was true that the woods afforded cover for wolves , still it was not wise to fell the trees ; for when the woods go , the captain said , the country will lose its fertility . He was a loquacious fellow , knowing the country well , wherefore pleasant to ride alongside of , and the hours passed quickly , hearing him relate his life .