three hours after noon
He and Edgar soon lay down and were fast asleep , but the two Arabs talked together for a long time before they followed their example . At daybreak the party were on their feet . `` We talked it over last night , '' Ben Ibyn said ; `` and we both think that it were best not to proceed . The horsemen would have reached the town with the news three hours after noon , and had they sent off at once horsemen and fast camelmen down the road to Massowah , we think that they would be at the pass before we could possibly reach it . Had we known the country and could have travelled all night , we should have been there long before them . As it is , the risk would be too great . We are already some distance north of the Massowah road , and it will not be so many days longer a journey to Suakim than to Massowah .