noon
Altogether , it looked as if a meeting with their guide could not take place too soon . From a point perhaps a mile away came the faint report of a rifle , followed in the same second by another report . The fact suggested more than one startling supposition , but the youths were in no mood to speculate thereon , for it will be admitted that the incidents of the forenoon were sufficient to engage their thoughts . It was a hard fact , however , that when they looked at their watches and found that it was noon , the most interesting subject that presented itself was as to how they could secure the meal which they felt was overdue . `` Let 's make a hunt in a different direction , '' said Fred . `` It is best to keep away from the neighborhood of those Indians , so far as we can locate them from the shots we occasionally hear , for the game is n't likely to stay where they are . '' `` Off yonder to the north appears to be a valley , '' remarked Jack , after the two had studied their surroundings for some minutes through their glasses .