noon
The chores were a more serious matter , for every spoon and plate had to be washed to the tune of a lashing tongue , and under an eye that withered all it lighted on . But at last , -- at last the happy hour came when the tyrant 's back was turned , and the tyrant 's feet tottered off in the direction of the post-office . The daily purchases , the daily gossip at the `` store , '' would fill the rest of the morning , as John well knew . He listened in silence to the charges to `` keep stiddy to work , and git that p ` tater-patch wed by noon ; '' he watched the departure of his tormentor , and went straight to the potato-patch , duty and fear leading him by either hand . The weeds had no safety of their lives that day ; he was in too great a hurry to dally , as he loved to do , over the bigger stalks of pigweed , the giants which he , with his trusty sword -- only it was a hoe -- would presently dash to the earth and behead , and tear in pieces . Even the sprawling pusley-stems , which generally played the part of devil-fish and tarantulas and various other monsters , suffered no amputation of limb by limb , but were torn up with merciful haste , and flung in heaps together . Was the potato-patch thoroughly `` wed ? ''