noon
He took my son and his own into his confidence , and I am grieved to say that the young rascals were just as eager as he . When I proposed to make the search on the last day of March , my friend resorted to the subterfuge I have mentioned , so as to insure that it should not take place until the following evening , which was unquestionably appropriate for my first and last essay in digging for buried treasure . There was an indignation meeting of the boys at Bushville school , one sultry day in August . From stress of circumstances it was held at the noon recess , in the piece of woods back of the old stone building , and on the banks of the crystal stream in which the youngsters swam and revelled at morning , noon and night , during the long , delicious days of summer . All the lads , not quite a score , belonging to the Bushville school , were present at the impromptu convention , but the proceedings were chiefly in charge of the lads , Tom Britt , Dick Culver and Fred Armstrong . There were but a few months ' difference in their ages , none of which was more than fourteen years , but all were so much larger and older than the rest that they were looked up to as leaders in everything except study . It can not be denied that the three were indolent by nature , inclined to rebel at authority , and their enforced attendance at school was the affliction of their lives .