noon
`` It 's the ham that 's greased it all up like that , '' she remarked . `` I 'd have brought a pail , only I did n't want to take any more 'n I had to . '' The young man gasped with astonishment as the contents of the apron-bundle were exposed : a whole ham glistening with the brown sugar in which it had been baked , a long knife , a huge loaf of bread , and , wrapped separately in a piece of newspaper , a bar of soap , a box of matches , and a bit of broken comb . `` When there 's lots of them , ham sandwiches , together with spring water , ai n't so bad , an ' it 's near noon , '' the girl observed , beginning to cut the loaf into meager slices with a practised hand . `` I should 've made them thicker , but I forgot . '' A starving gleam had come into the young man 's eyes at the sight of food , but he paused with the sandwich half-way to his lips to glance keenly at his companion . `` You 've enough here for an army , '' he declared .