noon
`` Bark away , '' laughed one , as he affectionately patted a twenty-four pounder just moved into its position , while shaking his other fist toward Yorktown . `` Scold while ye kin , for ' t is yer last chance . Like men , we 've sat silent for nine days , an ' let ye , like women , do the talkin ' , but it 's to-morrow mornin ' ye 'll find that , if we 've kept still , it 's not been for want of a tongue . '' It was noon when Brereton came hurrying into the battery to find the men sleeping among the guns , where they had dropped after their hard labour . `` How is it , Jack ? '' questioned the officer in command . `` General du Portail has reported the battery completed , and he tells me we 've beat the French by at least two hours . ''