noon
`` It 's just barely past noon , I reckon . Did n't expect to see you back until nightfall . '' `` I took a short cut , '' Cal said with a grin . `` Little past noon , '' he continued , as if musing with a thought . `` About the same time of day that everything happened a couple of weeks ago . '' `` Yeah , about the same time of day , '' Jed said , and looked at him curiously . Tom had arisen to his feet and was staring at Cal curiously , sensing a difference in the E .