noon
No indeed ! I could n't think of asking you to do that on my account ! '' I exclaimed , feeling very grateful , nevertheless , for the interest he displayed . `` The cows have n't come up yet ; besides , it would do no good to milk them now , at noon , for this evening , '' I explained , although Mr. Horton , being a cattleman , should have known that without my telling him . `` I 've thought what I can do , '' I said , after a moment . `` You and Ralph go with Mr. Horton , Jessie , and after the chores are done this evening I 'll slip over to Crusoe to Mrs. Riley 's . '' Mrs. Riley being the kindly Irish-woman with whom old Joe usually boarded when working in the mines .