noon
She could not believe what her caller had told her of their guide . Janus was plainly an honest , well-intentioned man . Of this she had been reassured that morning in an interview with the proprietor of the Compton House . At noon , their appetites sharpened by the bracing air and the fact that they had eaten an early breakfast , the party made a halt . The horses were unhitched and allowed to graze beside the road . The guide built a fire , Harriet and Jane in the meantime getting out something for their luncheon , which was to be a cooked one instead of a `` cold bite . '' Hazel , Jane and Margery spread a blanket on the ground , while Tommy sat on a rail fence , offering expert advice but declining to assist in the preparations .