noon
who 'd have thought it ? '' This happy idea of tramps having lodged itself in Marianne 's mind , the story grew rapidly . The butcher was informed of it when he came , the fishmonger , and the grocer 's boy . By noon all the village had heard the tale , and farmers ' wives for ten miles round were shuddering over these horrible facts , that three men in black masks , with knives as long as your arm , had broken into Mr. Gray 's house at midnight , gagged the family , stowed the silver and money in pillow-cases , token the little boy from his bed , -- that pretty little boy with curly hair , you know , my dear , -- and , paying no attention to his screams and cries , had carried him off nobody knew where . Poor Mrs. Gray was half dead with grief , of course , and Mr. Gray had gone in pursuit ; but law ! my dear , he 'll never catch 'em , and if he did , what could he do against three men ? `` He 'd a ought to have taken the constable with him , '' said old Mrs. Fidgit , `` then perhaps he 'd have got him back .