noon
More , the sex standard seemed to have vanished with the social . Nothing remained but the human , for that is the rule with the open boat at sea . When they lowered the sail for screening purposes , when they raised it again , it was all the same , for the human level is above all little things . Towards noon and with the coast now closer and well-defined , La Touche sighted something ahead . It was a rock , high and pointed like a black spire protruding from the sea and standing there like an outpost of the land . `` Had we better give it a wide berth ? '' asked La Touche .