noon
I never saw his equal . He had the happy word for all , the magic hint of hope , a sober merriment when needed , sometimes a little raillery and laughing , sometimes -LRB- with the old -RRB- a farewell in the ear . Even the better gentry , Sir Donald and the rest , took a second place in the management , beholding in this poor gentleman the human heart that at a pinch is better than authority in a gold-braided coat . By noon we had every bairn and woman -LRB- but for one woman I 'll mention -RRB- on their way from the shore , poor dears ! tossing on the turbulent sea , the women weeping bitterly for the husbands and sons they left , for of men there went with them but the oldsters , able to guide a boat , but poorly equipped for battling with Irish banditty . And my father was among them , in the kind hands of his _ sgaiag _ and kinswomen , but in a vague indifference of grief . A curious accident , that in the grace of God made the greatest difference on my after-life , left among them that found no place in the boats the daughter of Provost Brown .