noon
These were boys of the cave kind and must , perforce , conduct themselves originally . As to the details of the plan , well , they were only vague , as yet , but rapidly assuming a form more definite . The first thing essential for the boys was to reach the clump of trees . It was just before noon one day when they swung together on a tree branch sweeping nearly to the ground , and at a point upon the hill directly opposite the clump . This was the time selected for their first dash . They studied every square yard of the long grass of the little valley with anxious eyes . In the distance was feeding a small drove of wild horses and , farther away , close by the river side , upreared occasionally what might be the antlers of the great elk of the period .