noon
Mitha Baba -- '' There was another lilting pause . This referred to a female elephant , the meaning of whose name was `` Sweet Baby . '' The Deputy capitulated : `` Mitha Baba , yes ; especially since she knows the Hakima -- and oh , I say , that 's a strange tale , you know -- '' He glanced from Deenah to Nels , to Skag ; but received no encouragement to narrate same . Not in the least unbalanced , he tipped back his head and took another drink from between his smoky fingers ; then his glassless eye glittered out through the white burning of the noon , as he added : `` But Mitha Baba would not chase a strange elephant , unless she positively knew the creature was running off with her own Gul Moti ... . She 's discriminating , is Mitha Baba . But I say , Gunpat Rao came from the Vindhas , you know . '' It dawned upon Skag that this was n't monologue , but conversation ; also that it had some vague bearing upon his own affairs .