noon
The evening was so fine , and the gentle breeze setting in from the ocean was so cool and grateful , after the excessive heat of the day , that we continued for some time loitering along the shore . The sea was highly phosphorescent ; that is , during the earlier part of the evening , and before the mist or haze before spoken of cleared up . The tiny wavelets , as they rippled upon the beach in rapid succession , sparkled with phosphoric fire , and out in the lagoon , wherever a coral patch rose to the surface , or the water was disturbed by any floating object , it gave forth a clear and brilliant light , and was studded by myriads of fiery dots and spangles . At length Johnny began to complain of weariness , and we scaled the terraced hill , and gathering a large quantity of clean and well-dried leaves , arranged our beds as Browne had suggested , beneath the group of noble trees where we had taken our siesta at noon . The novelty of our situation , long proved with me an effectual antidote to fatigue and drowsiness , and I lay , looking up at the moon glimmering through the foliage of the trees , an hour after the rest seemed to be asleep . Just as I was at last sinking into unconsciousness , Johnny , sitting up among the leaves in which he was half buried , inquired softly , `` Max , are you awake ! '' I spoke to him , to let him know that he was not alone .