midday
They ate the miles as a giant devours sheep . They passed the Devil 's Beef Tub -- Jock would have liked to tarry there and investigate , but Jean dared not ask Stark to stop in case they could not start again -- and soon went sliding down the hill to Moffat . Hot puffs of scented air rose from the valley , they had left the moorlands and the winds , and the town was holding out arms to welcome them . They drove along the sunny , sleepy , midday High Street and stopped at a hotel . Except David , no member of the Jardine family had ever been inside a hotel , and it was quite an adventure for them to go up the steps from the street , enter the swinging doors , and ask a polite woman with elaborately done hair if they might have luncheon . Yes , they might , and Peter , at present held tightly in Mhor 's arms , could be fed in the kitchen if that would suit . Stark had meantime taken the car to a motor-repairing place .