noon
Whereupon Colonel Clark sent him to report to his captain that he was detailed for orderly duty to the commanding officer . And within half an hour he was standing guard in the flower garden , making grimaces at the children in the street . Colonel Clark sat at a table in the little front room , and while two of Monsieur Rocheblave 's negroes cooked his dinner , he was busy with a score of visitors , organizing , advising , planning , and commanding . There were disputes to settle now that alarm had subsided , and at noon three excitable gentlemen came in to inform against a certain Monsieur Cerre , merchant and trader , then absent at St. Louis . When at length the Colonel had succeeded in bringing their denunciations to an end and they had departed , he looked at me comically as I stood in the doorway . `` Davy , '' said he , `` all I ask of the good Lord is that He will frighten me incontinently for a month before I die . '' `` I think He would find that difficult , sir , '' I answered .