ten o'clock
Crossjay 's prospective connection with the mysterious ocean bestowed the title of captain on him by common consent ; he led them , and when missing for lessons he was generally in the society of Jacob Croom or Jonathan Fernaway . Vernon made sure of Crossjay when he perceived Jacob Croom sitting on a stool in the little lodge-parlour . Jacob 's appearance of a diligent perusal of a book he had presented to the lad , he took for a decent piece of trickery . It was with amazement that he heard from the mother and daughter , as well as Jacob , of Miss Middleton 's going through the gate before ten o'clock with Crossjay beside her , the latter too hurried to spare a nod to Jacob . That she , of all on earth , should be encouraging Crossjay to truancy was incredible . Vernon had to fall back upon Greek and Latin aphoristic shots at the sex to believe it . Rain was universal ; a thick robe of it swept from hill to hill ; thunder rumbled remote , and between the ruffled roars the downpour pressed on the land with a great noise of eager gobbling , much like that of the swine 's trough fresh filled , as though a vast assembly of the hungered had seated themselves clamorously and fallen to on meats and drinks in a silence , save of the chaps .