midday
The caretaker had neither the heart to put him out nor the courage to face the minister and the kirk officers with a plea for him to remain . The little dog 's presence there was known , apparently , only to Mr. Traill , to a few of the tenement dwellers , and to the Heriot boys . If his life was clandestine in a way , it was as regular of hour and duty and as well ordered as that of the garrison in the Castle . When the time-gun boomed , Bobby was let out for his midday meal at Mr. Traill 's and for a noisy run about the neighborhood to exercise his lungs and legs . On Wednesdays he haunted the Grassmarket , sniffing at horses , carts and mired boots . Edinburgh had so many shaggy little Skye and Scotch terriers that one more could go about unremarked . Bobby returned to the kirkyard at his own good pleasure .