noon
As there seemed nothing else to do , the two cadets retired , and , feeling that the woman must be watching them from behind the tightly drawn curtains at the windows , walked on down the rough road until a bend hid the house from view . Then they came up through the woods again and rejoined those at the barn . `` Well , we found out one thing , anyway , '' declared Jack . `` There is a woman keeping guard in the house , and the menfolks are all away and wo n't be back until noon or to-night . '' `` Evidently those chaps are very secretive , '' said Gif . `` I agree with Jack that the whole thing looks mighty suspicious . '' `` Do you intend to wait around here until those Germans come back ? ''