ten minutes past nine
The bell was ringing . Robert walked back to the pump , and past it to the meetinghouse . Citizens were coming with fire-buckets . He could see by the clock above him that it was ten minutes past nine . Mr. Knox , the bookseller , came , out of breath with running . `` It is not a fire , but there is trouble with the soldiers , '' said Robert . Together they walked down King Street , and saw the sentinel at the Custom House loading his gun .