noon
The daily bombardment had begun ! `` Your friends are firing a farewell salute , '' said Father Meraut . All the morning they slipped quietly along between greening banks , carried by the current farther and farther down-stream . At noon they drew the boat ashore beneath some willow trees , where they ate their lunch , and then spent an hour in such rest as they had not had for many weary months . It was then , and not until then , that Father Meraut ventured to ask his wife her plans . `` My dear , '' he said , as he stretched himself out in a sunny spot and put his head in Pierrette 's lap , `` I have great confidence in you , and will follow you willingly anywhere , but I should really like to know where we are going . '' Mother Meraut looked at him in surprise .