nearly noon
It was a nice place to sleep anyway ... . A staggering hound , with scurviness and sores , came up the steps , then on the porch , and licked his face ... . When he awoke some one was bathing his face with cold water from the spring . He was perfectly sober and he knew it was nearly noon . Then he heard the person say : `` I guess you are all right now , Marse Ned , an ' I 'm thinkin ' it 's the last drink you 'll ever take outen that jug . '' His astonishment in recognizing that the voice was the voice of Mammy Maria did not keep him from looking up regretfully at sight of the precious broken jug and the strong odor of whiskey pervading the air . How delightful the odor was !