about midday
It was during one of these oft-recurring intervals , as the time wore on , that Denham turned to me suddenly and said , just as if in answer to something I had said , for his thoughts were very much the same as mine : `` There , I ca n't make anything else of it , Val : we were doing our duty , and trying to save the lives of our friends . '' `` Yes , '' I said quietly ; then , both shrinking from speaking again , we sat listening to the sounds outside . From time to time one or other of the men on guard looked in to see that we were safe , though for the matter of that we had hardly thought of stirring , as escape seemed to be quite impossible . It was about midday , after a very long silence , when Denham suddenly remarked , `` It went against the grain at first , Val ; but I wo n't attempt to fire at that brute . He 'll get his deserts one of these days . You 're right ; we do n't want to go out like that . I want us to be able to stand up before the enemy quite calm and steady .