noon
Next Rodriguez put the bottle to his lips and held it there a little time , while the fourth man of the law , who was guarding the prisoner , watched Rodriguez wistfully , and afterwards Morano , who took the bottle next . Yet neither Rodriguez nor Morano drank . `` You can finish the bottle , '' said Rodriguez to this anxious watcher , who came forward eagerly though full of doubts , which changed to warm feelings of exuberant gratitude when he found how much remained . Thus he obtained not much less than two tumblerfuls of wine that , as I have said , was stronger than port ; and noon was nearing and it was spring in Spain . And then he returned to guard his prisoner under the oak-tree and lay down there on the moss , remembering that it was his duty to keep awake . And afterwards with one hand he took hold of a rope that bound the prisoner 's ankles , so that he might still guard his prisoner even though he should fall asleep . Now two of the men had had little more than the full of a sherry glass each .