midday
The animals are tired after the climb . Suppose we lie off for an hour ? '' The boys were all agreed on this , so the pack pony was unloaded . It now being near midday it was decided to wait for dinner before pressing on . A meal was a `` dab '' down there and the boys had fallen naturally into the vernacular of the men of the plains . It was Ned 's turn to cook the `` dab , '' a task that never appealed to him . Chunky at such times was always on hand while Ned was getting the meal , that he might offer suggestions and make uncomplimentary observations .