“Good-day, Ma’am,” said Kearns with much politeness, as they met; “it’s a warm day.”
“Yes, sir,” answered the elder woman, “it is a warm day, but seasonable for this time of year.”
“Why,” said Kearns, “you don’t usually have it as warm as this out here so early in the year, do you?”
“Early in the year!” exclaimed the woman. “Sure it’s not too warm for the end of July.”
The end of July!
Kearns and the Professor turned to each other in bewilderment. It was the tenth day of June when they had started on the walk with Dr. Jaquet, and here was this woman telling them it was the end of July. Oh, monstrous, incredible! They had slept a full six weeks!
“Then, too, sir,” continued the woman, who seemed not disinclined to rest her heavy basket and indulge in a little gossip, “it’s always apt to be warm on a hot day around fourteen o’clock.”
“Around fourteen o’clock!” repeated Kearns and the Professor, both agape.
“Yes; but I consider fifteen o’clock to be the hottest hour of the day.”
“Fifteen o’clock!” echoed the men.