noon
`` Oh , come , come , Your Ladyship , '' protested Holmes with a smile , `` you must n't be too hard on your brother-in-law . I do n't think he took the shoes last night . In fact , I am quite sure of it . I 'll guarantee to get your shoes back for you before noon to-day , and you can gamble on that ! '' `` Why , of course , '' interposed Launcelot hastily . `` Billie Budd must have come back in the middle of the night , and stolen the shoes , after he escaped yesterday afternoon . I guess he 's probably hiding around in the neighborhood somewhere . ''