noon
She always talked to them , and never turned one away . She hated to think how many of them there were , crawling along the tracks over that vast country . Her reflections were cut short by Ray and Giddy and Thea , who came bringing the lunch box and water bottles . Although there was not shadow enough to accommodate all the party at once , the air under the tank was distinctly cooler than the surrounding air , and the drip made a pleasant sound in that breathless noon . The station agent ate as if he had never been fed before , apologizing every time he took another piece of fried chicken . Giddy was unabashed before the devilled eggs of which he had spoken so scornfully last night . After lunch the men lit their pipes and lay back against the uprights that supported the tank .