noon
At each of these Shorty would cast such a look of wretchedness at Si that the latter had difficulty in preserving his steadfast silence and rigidity of countenance . But the woman 's chief affection seemed to be called forth by the package of coffee . She would -LCB- 201 -RCB- stop in the midst of any demonstration to pull out the bag containing the fragrant berry , and lovingly inhale its odor . It was long past noon when she announced : `` Thar 's my house right ahead . '' She followed this up with a ringing whoopee , which made the tumbledown cabin suddenly swarm with animation . A legion of loud-mouthed dogs charged down toward the road . Children of various ages , but of no variety in their rags and unkempt wildness , followed the dogs , or perched upon the fence-corners and stumps , and three or four shambling , evil-faced mountaineers lunged forward , guns in hand , with eyes fiercer than the dogs , as they looked over the two armed soldiers .