noon before
For my part , too , I was glad to rest , having aches all over me , and very heavy bruises ; and we lodged at the sign of the White Horse Inn , in the street called Gold Street , opposite where the souls are of John and Joan Greenway , set up in gold letters , because we must take the homeward way at cockcrow of the morning . Though still John Fry was dry with me of the reason of his coming , and only told lies about father , and could not keep them agreeable , I hoped for the best , as all boys will , especially after a victory . And I thought , perhaps father had sent for me because he had a good harvest , and the rats were bad in the corn-chamber . It was high noon before we were got to Dulverton that day , near to which town the river Exe and its big brother Barle have union . My mother had an uncle living there , but we were not to visit his house this time , at which I was somewhat astonished , since we needs must stop for at least two hours , to bait our horses thorough well , before coming to the black bogway . The bogs are very good in frost , except where the hot-springs rise ; but as yet there had been no frost this year , save just enough to make the blackbirds look big in the morning . In a hearty black-frost they look small , until the snow falls over them .