noon
But we 'll surely come back ; you never must doubt that ! '' Farther on they came on a broken-down ambulance , the mules gone , several dead men half buried in the wet straw , and two Sisters of Charity standing near by in pallid despair . Colonel Arran offered them lead-horses , but they were timid and frightened ; and Burgess gave his horse to the older one , and Berkley took the other up behind him , where she sat sideways clutching his belt , white coiffe aflutter , feet dangling . At noon the regiment halted for forage and rations procured from a waggon train which had attempted to cross their line of march . The rain ceased : a hot sun set their drenched clothing and their horses ' flanks steaming . At two o'clock they resumed their route ; the ragged , rain-blackened pennons on the lance heads dried out scarlet ; a hot breeze set in , carrying with it the distant noise of battle . All that afternoon the heavy sound of the cannonade jarred their ears .