noon
`` I 'm glad she does n't ask me , '' thought Betty , helping mechanically in the preparations for dinner which were more elaborate than usual because of the presence of the three balers . `` Bob must be half way to Washington by now , and I do n't believe they have the slightest idea he is headed for there . '' The Peabodys , she reasoned , knew nothing of Lockwood Hale , and of the attraction the capital of the country held for the orphan lad . Betty insisted on doing a fair share of the extra work after the noon meal , and then ran upstairs to get ready to go over to Glenside . She wanted to tell the Guerins that Bob had gone , and from their house she knew she could telephone to those other good friends , the Benders . Laurel Grove was too far to walk , even for a practised hiker like Betty . To her dismay , as she left the house , Mr. Peabody joined her and fell into step .