The doctor, quite exhausted, stayed there; and, deluded into believing that, after so doughty a performance, we would be allowed a cessation of toil, took off his hat, and fanned himself.
"Rayther a hard customer, that, Peter," observed the Yankee, going up to him: "but it's no use for any on 'em to hang back; for I'm dumned if they hain't got to come out, whether or no.

Hurrah! let's get at it agin!" "Mercy!" ejaculated the doctor, rising slowly, and turning round.
"He'll be the death of us!" Falling to with our hoes again, we worked singly, or together, as occasion required, until "Nooning Time" came.
The period, so called by the planters, embraced about three hours in the middle of the day; during which it was so excessively hot, in this still, brooding valley, shut out from the Trades, and only open toward the leeward side of the island, that labour in the sun was out of the question.

To use a hyperbolical phrase of Shorty's, "It was 'ot enough to melt the nose h'off a brass monkey." Returning to the house, Shorty, assisted by old Tonoi, cooked the dinner; and, after we had all partaken thereof, both the Cockney and Zeke threw themselves into one of the hammocks, inviting us to occupy the other.

Thinking it no bad idea, we did so; and, after skirmishing with the mosquitoes, managed to fall into a doze.

As for the planters, more accustomed to "Nooning," they, at once, presented a nuptial back to each other; and were soon snoring away at a great rate.