midday
Especially when you consider that trees are plentiful . '' We made slow progress during the morning . The Professor 's accident robbed him of a lot of the nimbleness which had been noticeable during the two preceding days , and the other members of the expedition had to move at a pace that would suit his stiff limbs . `` I 'm unlucky , '' whispered Holman , as he sat beside me at the midday halt . `` I tried to show him how he could get a good snapshot , and now he 's as poisonous as a red-necked cobra just because he was silly enough to skin his shins . '' We crossed the lowest part of the valley during the early afternoon , and commenced to ascend gradually toward the black walls on the far side . Leith had remarked at the lunch table that we would probably reach our destination on the following morning , and the information brought a thrill of expectation in spite of the suspicions we entertained .