noon
However the lady could have made the mistake of thinking she had seen Purt before , is not easily explained . Perhaps she was very near sighted . The Central High dude `` moved on , '' with the mongrel frisking about him . Purt heartily wished the animal would have a sunstroke -LRB- for it was high noon now , and very warm -RRB- or would be taken with an apoplectic stroke , or some other sudden complaint ! Purt wanted to get back to Main Street and rejoin the girls ; but he knew it would be no use in trying that unless he could `` shake '' the dog . The girls -LRB- especially Lily Pendleton , whom he so much admired -RRB- would not stand for that mongrel brute following in their train . So , finding that the dog was fastened to him like a new Old Man of the Sea , Prettyman Sweet decided to sneak back to the dock , by the way of back streets , and escape the beast by going aboard the _ Duchess _ .