"Spoil his beauty sleep, eh? Where's he been, getting so dead tired that he ain't up to take his rations? I don't hold with such late hours. Not but what he's a good plucked 'un mostly, and I don't grudge him the—"
At this point Jack got out of bed, wincing as his aching muscles reminded him of the previous day's hard work.
"You there, Giles?" he said, putting his head out of the window. "Get me some hot water, and then see about my breakfast while I dress."
A guffaw broke from the soldiers below, and was instantly suppressed.
"Yes, sir," said Giles, adding: "Beg pardon, sir, but it's not breakfast, it's dinner."
Jack laughed.
"What! Have I been asleep so long? What's the time?"
"Gone four, sir, and mess is at a quarter past."
"Hurry up, then! There's just time."
"Mr. Pomeroy's been twice to see if you was up, sir, but he wouldn't let me disturb you. And he said I was on no account to say a word about—"