about noon
Thad 's an incurable grouch , '' at which Skeets laughed till she shook , and Mr. Hooper nodded his head . `` Lad , '' he said , `` you 're a wonder an ' I ai n't got no more to say ag ` in ' your doin ' this work here . Go ahead with it your own way . But this I am abossin ' : to-morrow 's half day , I reckon , so both o ' you come over to the house nigh ` long about noon an ' set at dinner with us . You 're more 'n welcome . '' Thereafter , having been fully convinced by the demonstration and fully assured of the precise accuracy in the work on the power plant , Mr. Hooper treated the boys with the utmost consideration and confidence . The owner of the great estate came down to see them every day and chatted as familiarly as though he had been a lifelong crony of their own age .