noon
The men talked and smoked , and the Captain read a newspaper at the door of his dugout . No one bothered Lucia , and she kept very quiet . She had had nothing to eat since the night before and she was very hungry , but she would not for the world ask her enemies for food . She was not above accepting it , however , when a little before noon one of the soldiers brought her a hard and tasteless biscuit and a cup of water . She ate greedily , and then tired out from so much excitement she fell asleep . She awoke an hour later to a scene of activity . She could see through the peek-hole that the Captain was consulting his watch every little while , and the men were hurrying about excitedly .