About a quarter to noon
The talk soon fell again upon the probabilities of the day . Penhallow listened . Meade grave and silent sat on a cracker-box and ate in an absent way , or scribbled orders , and at last directed that the picked body of men , the provost 's guards , should join their regimental commands . About a quarter to noon the generals one by one rode away . Having no especial duty , Penhallow walked to where on the Crest the eighteen guns were drawn up . The sky was clear as yet , a windless , hot day . Gibbon joined him .