noon
`` What do you mean ? '' he asked , `` that McNabb has added the expense of road construction to the money he put into the options , without making provision for acquiring title to the property ? That does not sound like McNabb -- what I 've heard of him . '' `` He has until noon of the first , '' reminded Wentworth . `` Yes , but where is he ? He knows the North , and the hundred-an ' - one things that can happen to upset a schedule . If I had as much invested in this thing as he has , you may believe I would have been here with plenty of time to spare . ''