noon
Hal stopped the car long enough to light the searchlights . `` They may betray our presence , '' he said , `` but if I do n't light them we are likely to go into a ditch . '' The car crept along slowly during the night hours , and morning found them still in the mountains . With the coming of dawn , however , Hal put on more speed , and by noon they were once more on the plains of Galicia . Then Hal `` let her out . '' Suddenly the machine flashed by a body of troops . Hal swerved to one side of the road just in time to avoid running into them .