noon
My mother was too sensible a woman to make any objections to so promising an offer if I did not ; and therefore , before we rose from the breakfast table , it was settled that I was to be a midshipman , and we were all soon laughing away as heartily as ever . The news that Master Marmaduke was going away to sea quickly reached the servants ' hall , and from thence spread over the village . Not a moment was lost by our mother in commencing the preparations for my outfit . Stores of calico were produced , and she and Bertha had cut out a set of shirts and distributed them to be made before noon . While they were thus employed , I went down to have a talk with my father , and to have my ignorance on nautical affairs somewhat enlightened , though he , I found , knew very little more about them than I did . While I was in the study the footman came to say that Widow Bluff wished to see him . `` Let her come in , '' was his reply .