six o'clock
So the villagers were driven off like cattle , Sultan was stabled , and we five were accommodated in the great hall , for the host and the ostler stayed on the ground that so dangerous a villain as Swift Nicks wanted a strong guard . They put me under the great chimney and sat round me , in a half circle , each man with a loaded pistol in one hand and a jug of ale in the other . The Squire 's lady came in and stood afar off examining me , and I saw that she was in deadly fear of me , handcuffed and guarded as I was . Over an hour crawled by , taking with it my last chance of getting into Derby , with my task accomplished , by six o'clock . What would Margaret think of me ? Her obvious pride in the honour the Prince had conferred upon me by selecting me as his personal helper , had been a great delight to me , and now I had failed him and disquieted her . The thought made me rage , and I gave my captors black looks worthy of any tobie-man on the King 's highway .