nine o'clock
Indeed he had made out a case against the lad even before he was arrested and returned to camp . Gordon asked if he had seen the boy and heard his story . Canker reddened and said he had n't , and he did n't mean to and did n't have to . Gordon said _ he _ had -- he had talked with the lad fully and freely on his being brought to camp toward nine o'clock , and was greatly impressed with his story -- as would any one else be who heard it . Canker reddened still more and said he would n't allow officers to interview prisoners without his authority . `` I 'll prefer charges against the next that does it , '' said he . And not three hours later , Mr. Billy Gray , sprawling on his camp cot , striving to forget the sorrow of the earlier morning , and to memorize a page of paragraphs of army regulations , was suddenly accosted by an orderly who stood at the front of the tent , scratching at the tent flap -- the camp substitute for a ring at the bell .