eight o'clock
Her sister became busy taking up and putting down into their same places the sideboard silver . Jeb felt an undeniable interest in the uniforms and rifles , looking forward to them very much as a condemned man might view a gallows . Nevertheless , after he had walked halfway to the _ Eagle _ office , the mood sufficiently passed for him to enter with a certain amount of _ savoir faire _ . The Colonel had been there since eight o'clock , properly ensconced behind a table especially placed for him . A ledger for recruits ' names lay open , with pens and ink-pot ready . Mr. Strong had not yet come down ; neither had a man thus far been recruited , although the _ Eagle 's _ story was setting Hillsdale aflame with patriotism . `` Any news ? ''