midday
`` Poor boy , '' his sister laughed , `` he has indeed been unfortunate . Who can say but that if he had only had opportunities he would have been a general by this time , and that Rome would have been trembling at the clash of his armour . '' Malchus joined heartily in the laugh about himself . `` I shall never grow to be a general , '' he said , `` unless you get me some food ; it is past midday , and I have not broken my fast this morning . I warn you that I shall not tell you a word of our adventures until I have eaten , therefore the sooner you order a meal to be served the better . '' The meal was speedily served , and then for an hour Malchus sat with his mother and sisters , giving them a history of the expedition . There was a little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters when he told them that he was going to return to the Syssite to hear what had been determined by the conclave .