noon
They preferred to stay with us . We modified our pace now , and moved cautiously , and the new men were warned to keep their sorrows to themselves and not get the command into danger with their curses and lamentations . Toward dawn we rode deep into a forest , and soon all but the sentries were sound asleep in spite of the cold ground and the frosty air . I woke at noon out of such a solid and stupefying sleep that at first my wits were all astray , and I did not know where I was nor what had been happening . Then my senses cleared , and I remembered . As I lay there thinking over the strange events of the past month or two the thought came into my mind , greatly surprising me , that one of Joan 's prophecies had failed ; for where were Noel and the Paladin , who were to join us at the eleventh hour ? By this time , you see , I had gotten used to expecting everything Joan said to come true .