noon
Gerald began addressing the envelope . Both the sheet of paper and the envelope were plain , and bore no clew of the hotel in which they had been written . The letter was folded , thrust into the envelope , and the envelope sealed and stamped . `` It 's dinner time , fellows , '' announced Gerald , `` and we 'll post this on our way to the noon eats . Come on . '' They all got up and left the room . `` When do we hike for the island , Gerald ? ''