noon
Solemnly the three girls crossed their hearts . Billy went off then in search of some amusement of his liking , leaving them with the burden of the secret . It weighed upon them through the day . And the more heavily when at noon time the cook from Clark 's tapped upon the kitchen door and reported with great indignation that `` jes ' while her back was turned a minute that there dog had stolen her leg she was about to be carvin ' and had gone off with it like he was possessed . '' `` Your leg -- well , now ! '' cried Nora , all sympathy . `` Faith -- not my _ own _ leg , but a leg of lamb ! ''