About ten o'clock
I -- '' `` All right , Tobe , '' interrupted his wife , cheerfully ; `` a passel of men prancin ' around with a goat oncet a month ai n't much harm , I reckon . You go ` long , honey ; I 'll set up for you . '' `` Sissy is that soft an ' innercent an ' mild , '' muttered Mr. Cullum , striding away in the gathering twilight , `` that a suckin ' baby could wrop her aroun ' its finger -- much lessen me ! '' About ten o'clock the same night Granny Carnes , peeping through a chink in the wall beside her bed , saw a squad of men hurrying afoot down the road from the direction of Ebenezer Church . `` Them boys is up to some devil _ mint _ , Uncle Dick , '' she remarked , placidly , to her rheumatic old husband . Uncle Dick laughed , a soft , toothless laugh . `` I ai n't begrudgin ' 'em the fun , '' he sighed , turning on his pillow , `` but I wisht to the Lord I was along ! ''