noon
P'raps , instead of pinning your ears to a tree , Jim , this same Mister Cale 'll consent to walk back with us , and give himself up to a game warden of the great and glorious State of Maine . We must n't forget that we 're all sworn-in officers of the said State , and bound to assist any game warden who is trying to do his duty , and earn his salary . '' Presently the other guide said good-bye , and turning his canoe down-stream , shot away with the current ; while the scouts headed up further toward the wilderness that lay around the country of the Eagle chain of lakes , close to the northern border of the State . They landed presently to have a bite at noon . Thad took advantage of the opportunity to look at Bumpus ' shoulder . As he anticipated , he found that there was quite an ugly black-and-blue bruise there , which would cause the boy considerable pain for several days ; though he declared that nothing was going to keep him from practicing with his new gun , which seemed like a toy in the hands of a child . `` I 'm sure you could not have held the butt close against your shoulder when you fired , '' Thad ventured , as his opinion .