noon
When at last he grew more or less quiet I called to the messenger that we white folk were not in the habit of abandoning each other , and that we would live or die together . Still , I bade him tell Quabie that if we did die , the vengeance taken on him and all his people would be to wipe them out till not one of them was left , and therefore that he would do well not to cause any of our blood to flow . Also , I added , that we had thirty men in the house -LRB- which , of course , was a lie -RRB- and plenty of ammunition and food , so that if he chose to continue the attack it would be the worse for him and his tribe . On hearing this the herald shouted back that we should every one of us be dead before noon if he had his way . Still , he would report my words faithfully to Quabie and bring his answer . Then he turned and began to walk off . Just as he did so a shot was fired from the house , and the man pitched forward to the ground , then rose again and staggered back towards his people , with his right shoulder shattered and his arm swinging .