midday
They were mainly a good-natured and unsuspicious crowd whose guttural tongue was harsh and very voluble . They needed handling . Essentially they needed handling by the white man . Steve had been relieved for his midday meal . He was relieved by An-ina , assisted by Julyman . Oolak stood by with his club , ready for any display of the predatory instincts that yielded to temptation . Steve had not yet returned from the kitchen .