twelve o'clock
About ten o'clock , though he did not feel much fatigued , he seated himself on a rock by a brook from which he had just taken a drink , to rest himself . He had walked slowly so as to husband his strength ; and he felt confident that he should be able to accomplish the journey without injury to himself . After resting for half an hour , he resumed his walk . At twelve o'clock he reached a point from which he obtained his first view of the city . His heart bounded at the sight , and his first impulse was to increase his speed so that he should the sooner gratify his curiosity ; but a second thought reminded him that he had eaten nothing since breakfast ; so , finding a shady tree by the road side , he seated himself on a stone to eat the luncheon which his considerate mother had placed in his bundle . Thus refreshed , he felt like a new man , and continued his journey again till he was on the very outskirts of the city , where a sign , `` No passing over this bridge , '' interrupted his farther progress . Unlike many others , Bobby took this sign literally , and did not venture to cross the bridge .