noon
He did not care particularly where they lit , just so they did n't light in the crater or near the observatory , and he had already made certain of that . Then , without waiting even to finish the whirl or to straighten her out in level flight , Cloud 's still-flying hand darted toward the switch whose closing would energize the Bergenholm and make the flitter inertialess . Too late . Hell was out for noon , with the little speedster still inert . Cloud had moved fast , too ; trained mind and trained body had been working at top speed and in perfect coordination . There just simply had n't been enough time . If he could have got what he wanted , ten full seconds , or even nine , he could have made it , but ... * * * * * In spite of what happened , Cloud defended his action , then and thereafter .