nearly five o'clock
He was indignant , too , but it was a rule of his to control his temper and never speak to a subordinate in wrath . He had broken it that morning and was sorry ; so when at last he trusted himself to speak , he said , -- `` It must have been more than six hours ago that I told you to bury those two men and then go on . Surely , captain , you could not have taken all this time . '' `` It was nearly five o'clock , sir , when you ordered me to bury my dead as well as I could , and only a little after eight when we finished it ; meantime , we had to march seven or eight miles before we could find a place where we could bury them at all well . '' `` Why , I meant you to bury them right then and there , just where you were , not go marching in search of a place . '' `` But we could n't bury them there ; major , I had no tools to dig graves in a hard prairie -- '' `` Then you mean that you failed to go on after Davies , -- failed to support him ? -- that you have n't seen him since I gave those orders ?