noon
Then there was a curious sharp report , and pieces of broken rock splashed into the river . The gorge rang with echoes and a mass of gravel roared down the slope . It was obviously a good shot and had moved more spoil than Festing expected . A glance at his watch showed that the others had given up a quarter of an hour of their short noon rest . Festing set off again , and in the meantime , Charnock , holding his breath as he stood on the snowy bank , looked down into the hole the explosion had made . `` I think we 've made a first-class job , '' he said , stepping back out of reach of the fumes . `` I like the company 's taste in powder . ''