four o'clock in the afternoon
Dr. Gys was a remarkably skillful surgeon and he gave himself no rest until every one of the eleven had received such attention as his wounds demanded . Even Kelsey felt the strain by that time and as Maud expressed her intention of remaining to minister to the wants of the crippled soldiers , the two doctors went on deck for a smoke and a brief relaxation . By this time Beth had quieted Patsy , mainly by letting her have her cry out , and now brought her on deck to join the others and get the fresh air . So quickly had events followed one another on this fateful day that it was now only four o'clock in the afternoon . None of them had thought of luncheon , so the ship 's steward now brought tea and sandwiches to those congregated on deck . As they sat together in a group , drinking tea and discussing the exciting events of the day , little Maurie came sauntering toward them and removed his cap . `` Your pardon , '' said he , `` but -- are the wounded all cared for ? ''