noon
`` After all , you 're much more of a sentimentalist than I think you know . '' Thirlwell bent over his paddle and the canoe forged ahead , but the breeze freshened , and the ripples changed to crested waves . Agatha 's face was wet , her slicker dripped , and the men breathed hard between the strokes . They labored on , and at noon ran the canoes aground in the lee of a rocky island . Thirlwell ordered the _ Metis _ to use nothing but dry driftwood , which makes little smoke , for the fire , and when they rested after a meal found Drummond sitting alone outside the camp . He looked moody and his eyes were fixed on the height of land . `` Feeling bothered about something ? ''