noon
Elizabeth Eliza 's party had made a quick journey by the route from Brindisi , and proceeding directly to Cairo , had stopped at a small French hotel not very far from Mrs. Peterkin and her party . Every morning at an early hour Elizabeth Eliza made her visit to the Sphinx , arriving there always the first one of her own party , and spending the rest of the day in explorations about the neighborhood . -LSB- Illustration : Every morning at an early hour Elizabeth Eliza made her visit to the Sphinx . -RSB- Mrs. Peterkin , meanwhile , set out each day at a later hour , arriving in time to take her noon lunch in front of the Sphinx , after which she indulged in a comfortable nap and returned to the hotel before sunset . A week -- indeed , ten days -- passed in this way . One morning , Mrs. Peterkin and her party had taken the ferry-boat to cross the Nile . As they were leaving the boat on the other side , in the usual crowd , Mrs. Peterkin 's attention was arrested by a familiar voice .