nearly noon
My heart leaped anew in my bosom , for the time forgetting its sadness . I saw that the world after all does hold faith and loyalty and friendship and perpetual , self-renewing Youth ... . I also rose , cast my hat aside , and with one hand reaching down to touch my friend 's head , I , too , stood , shading my eyes with my edged hand , peering ahead into this strange new world that lay ahead of me . So winding is my trout river , and so extensive are my lands along it , that it was not until nearly noon that our progress , sometimes halted by shallows , again swift in the deeper reaches , brought the _ Sea Rover _ to the lower edge of my estate . Here , the river was deeper and more silent , the waters were not quite so cold , but as we passed a high hardwood bridge from which issued a cool spring of water , I suggested a halt in our voyage , to which my companions , readily enough , agreed . We , therefore , disembarked and prepared to have our luncheon . It was obvious to me that Jean Lafitte and Henri L'Olonnois were not on their first expedition out-of-doors , for they set about gathering wood and water in workmanlike fashion .