noon
`` Thou art a good lad , Steve , '' said Hal . `` I 'm right glad thou leavest this father of mine behind thee . I would not see thee such as he -- no , not for all the gold we saw on the Frenchmen 's backs . '' This was the jester 's farewell , but it was some time before the waggon was under way , for the carter and one of the smiths were missing , and were only at noon found in an alehouse , both very far gone in liquor , and one with a black eye . Kit discoursed on sobriety in the most edifying manner , as at last he drove heavily along the street , almost the last in the baggage train of the king and queens -- but still in time to be so included in it so as to save all difficulty at the gates . It was , however , very late in the evening when they reached Calais , so that darkness was coming on as they waited their turn at the drawbridge , with a cart full of scullions and pots and pans before them , and a waggon-load of tents behind . The warders in charge of the gateway had orders to count over all whom they admitted , so that no unauthorised person might enter that much-valued fortress .