nearly noon
Once , as they drove along the quay , they met the Major and the dog , and in response to a courtly bow , the Little Colonel waved her hand and smiled . The empty sleeve recalled her grandfather , and gave her a friendly feeling for the old soldier . She looked back at Hero as long as she could see a glimpse of his white and yellow curls . It was nearly noon when they stopped at a place where Mrs. Sherman wanted to leave an enamelled belt-buckle to be repaired . Lloyd was not interested in the show-cases , and could not understand the conversation her father and mother were having with the shopkeeper about enamelling . So , saying that she would go out and sit in the carriage until they were ready to come , she slipped away . She liked to watch the stir of the streets .