noon
There were not even women to wail by the barrack gate , for they marched away at dinner-time and official lies had been distributed where they would do most good . Englishman and Sikh alike rode untormented by the wails or waving farewells of their kindred ; and there was only a civilian on a white pony , somewhere along ahead , who seemed to know that they were more than just parading . He led them toward the Ajmere Gate , and by the time that the regiment 's luggage came along in wagons , with the little rear-guard last of all , it was too late to run and warn people . Outram 's Own had gone at high noon , and nobody the wiser ! There was no music as they marched and no talking . Only the jingling bits and rattling hoofs proclaimed that India 's best were riding on a sudden summons to fight for the `` Salt . '' They marched in the direction least expected of them , three-quarters of a day before their scheduled time , and even `` Guppy , '' the mess bull-terrier , who ran under the wagon with the officers ' luggage , behaved as if all ends of the world were one to him .