three o'clock
Though I may have laughed at my worthy friend 's want of worldly wisdom , I could never help admiring his sturdy , uncompromising patriotism . Hitherto we had been treated with kindness and attention by the officers of the French frigate , but a change in our lot was about to occur . On the 20th September we were suddenly ordered to go on shore , and when there we found that we were to prepare for an immediate start to a place called Ou Trou , thirty miles away in the interior . Having been marched up to the governor 's house , we were told to be ready to commence our journey by three o'clock , and were then allowed to go about our business . We accordingly , feeling the necessity of fortifying the inner man , went to the first inn of which the place could boast , called the Dutch Hotel , and ordered the best dinner it could turn out . `` Plenty of wine ! '' was the general cry , at which Mynheer von Tromp grinned furiously .