noon
and Dora stamped her foot to show she meant it . `` Oh , you 'll sing a different tune when you get good and hungry , '' growled Dan Baxter , and he walked away , leaving the girls once more to themselves . Morning found the Rovers and their friends still on the steam launch , looking in all directions for the houseboat . The rain had ceased and there was every indication that the mist would blow away by noon , but at present it was hard to see a hundred feet in any direction . `` Nature has assisted them to escape , '' said Dick , bitterly . `` Oh , we 'll find them sooner or later , '' answered Sam . `` Perhaps , Sam .