noon
And mind you , if there is feud or treachery among you so that one man 's blood is let , then I will exact a tenfold vengeance from both men . '' The twelve , who were sturdy ruffians and well able to hold the place against any sudden attack by the Dark Master , looked into the ice-blue eyes for an instant , and straightway vowed that there would be neither treachery nor quarreling among them . And Brian guessed shrewdly that he had inspired some little fear in their hearts . So that at high noon they rode away to the east , threescore strong , with Brian and Cathbarr and the remaining eight axmen in the van . Brian did not spare either man or horse that day , for there was little food left them ; when midnight came they had slipped past Galway and were ready to ride south , though they all went to rest supperless . With the morning Brian found that two of the men had slipped off and were busy plundering a hill-farm a mile away , where an old woman lived alone . He promptly had them brought before him , and bade them take up their weapons .