noon
Away he bounded over the four miles to the Davenports ' . Needless to say , the children were overjoyed to see him . To their surprise , Mr. Brown did not appear that day , nor the following morning . Consequently , Mr. Davenport went up to his house at noon , and asked to see him . Brown by this time was sober , and at heart ashamed of his treatment of Duke . `` Brown , '' said Mr. Davenport in greeting , `` I 've come to tell you that your dog is out at our place again . '' `` I supposed as much , '' he answered curtly .