midday
Walk two miles in such heat for nothing ! as walk we would be compelled to do , horseflesh being too precious in such a drought to fritter it away in idle jaunts . Surprising to say , however , Harold , who never walked anywhere when he could get any sort of a horse , uttered a wish to go . Accordingly , when the midday dinner was over , he , Stanley , and I set out . Going to church was quite the event of the week to the residents around Possum Gully . It was a small Dissenting chapel , where a layman ungrammatically held forth at 3 p.m. every Sunday ; but the congregation was composed of all denominations , who attended more for the sitting about on logs outside , and yarning about the price of butter , the continuance of the drought , and the latest gossip , before and after the service , than for the service itself . I knew the appearance of Harold Beecham , would make quite a miniature sensation , and form food for no end of conjecture and chatter .