noon
`` Never , '' and the German wagged his great beard , with a dubious glance around . `` Come , let us go on . Ach , what a country is this ! '' An hour later they outspanned for the noon halt . By some subtle warning , Schoverling led them away from the river to a little bare mound crowned by a single spreading mimosa , around which the oxen were grouped . Below on one side , stretched the jungle . On the other , tall grass , reeds and undergrowth led away to the river .