noon
I should have felt disgraced for ever if I were to go into the camp unarmed . Now , I shall be able to go in with my head erect , and take my punishment for having got drunk , and failing to fall in at the assembly , like a man . On the honour of a French soldier , I swear that I shall for ever regard the English as the most generous of foes . ' `` It was noon when we started , and at nine o'clock at night , as we were keeping along high up on the hills , I saw our bivouac fires . A minute or two later , the colonel rode up . '' ` There are your fires , lad , ' he said . ` I do n't fancy there is any village between us and the spot where your people are encamped .