about noon
She stood and watched them until they passed the turn beyond the bridge . Mr Blumenthal watched them too , from behind the curtains in his room . His leer went from one to the other , but always returned and rested on Rex . Then , as there was a mountain chill in the morning air , he crawled back into bed , hauling his night cap over his generous ears and rolling himself in a cocoon of featherbeds , until he should emerge about noon , like some sleek , fat moth . The anglers walked briskly up the wooded road , chatting and laughing , with now and then a sage and critical glance at the water , of which they caught many glimpses through the trees . Gethryn and Ruth were soon far ahead . The colonel sauntered along , switching leaves with his rod and indulging in bursts of Parisian melody .