ten
o'clock
From far up Main Street came the cry `` She 's a-comin ' ! She 's a-comin ' ! '' and , this announcement of the parade proving only one of a dozen false alarms , a thousand discussions took place over old-fashioned silver timepieces as to when `` she '' was really due . Schofields ' Henry was much appealed to as an arbiter in these discussions , from a sense of his having a good deal to do with time in a general sort of way ; and thus Schofields ' came to be reminded that it was getting on toward ten o'clock , whereas , in the excitement of festival , he had not yet struck nine . This , rushing forthwith to do , he did ; and , in the elation of the moment , seven or eight besides . Miss Helen Sherwood was looking down on the mass of shifting color from a second-story window -- whither many an eye was upturned in wonder -- and she had the pleasure of seeing Schofields ' emerge on the steps beneath her , when the bells had done , and heard the cheers -LRB- led by Mr. Martin -RRB- with which the laughing crowd greeted his appearance after the performance of his feat . She turned beamingly to Harkless .