noon
Magnus and Harran drove on , leaving Annixter trying to draw S. Behrman into a wrangle . When at length S. Behrman as well took himself away , Annixter returned to his hammock , finished the rest of his prunes and read another chapter of `` Copperfield . '' Then he put the book , open , over his face and went to sleep . An hour later , toward noon , his own terrific snoring woke him up suddenly , and he sat up , rubbing his face and blinking at the sunlight . There was a bad taste in his mouth from sleeping with it wide open , and going into the dining-room of the house , he mixed himself a drink of whiskey and soda and swallowed it in three great gulps . He told himself that he felt not only better but hungry , and pressed an electric button in the wall near the sideboard three times to let the kitchen -- situated in a separate building near the ranch house -- know that he was ready for his dinner . As he did so , an idea occurred to him .