twelve o’clock
The dandy aforesaid , sitting on his camp-bedstead in his ragged flannel-shirt , and sharing that seat with two other dandies more ragged than himself , pledged his guest in a silver-gilt measure of pale ale , brought up from Balaklava at a cost of about half-a-guinea a bottle , and drank with a gusto such as the best-flavoured champagne had never wooed from a palate formerly too delicate and fastidious to be pleased with the nectar of the immortals themselves , now appreciating with exquisite enjoyment the strongest liquids , the most acrid tobacco , nay , the Irish stew itself , cooked by a private soldier at a camp-fire , savoury and delicious , if glutinous with grease and reeking of onions . `` Heavy business the night before last , '' said a young Guardsman with a beautiful girlish face , and a pair of uncommonly dirty hands garnished with costly rings -- a lad that looked as if he ought to be still at school , but uniting the cool courage of a man with the mischievous light-hearted spirits of a boy . `` Could n't get a wink of sleep for them at any time -- never knew 'em so restless . Tell you what , Colonel , ' rats leave a falling house , ' it 's my belief there 's _ something up _ now , else why were we all relieved at twelve o'clock instead of our regular twenty-four hours in the trenches ? Good job for me , for I breakfasted with the General , and a precious blow-out he gave me . Turkey , my boys ! and cherry-brandy out of a shaving-pot !