two o'clock
Colonel Arran offered them lead-horses , but they were timid and frightened ; and Burgess gave his horse to the older one , and Berkley took the other up behind him , where she sat sideways clutching his belt , white coiffe aflutter , feet dangling . At noon the regiment halted for forage and rations procured from a waggon train which had attempted to cross their line of march . The rain ceased : a hot sun set their drenched clothing and their horses ' flanks steaming . At two o'clock they resumed their route ; the ragged , rain-blackened pennons on the lance heads dried out scarlet ; a hot breeze set in , carrying with it the distant noise of battle . All that afternoon the heavy sound of the cannonade jarred their ears . And at sunset it had not ceased . Berkley 's Sister of Charity clung to his belt in silence for a while .