two o'clock in the afternoon
Ephraim lifted his feet with an effort , and carried them slowly from the house , carefully and quietly closing the kitchen door after him . About half a minute later he opened the door again , just as carefully and as quietly , and said : ` Good night , ma'am , and God bless you . ' Then he went away , his hands bunched behind him , walking like a man carrying a heavy burden . DICK HADDON and Ted McKnight were still at large next morning , and nothing was heard of them till two o'clock in the afternoon , when Wilson 's man , Jim Peetree , reported having discovered the boys swimming in the big quarry in the old Red Hand paddock . Jim , seeing a prospect of covering himself with glory , made a dash after the truants ; but they snatched up their clothes and ran for the saplings up the creek , all naked as they were , and Jim was soon out of the hunt -- though he captured Ted 's shirt , and produced it as a guarantee of good faith . That night three boys -- three of the faithful -- Jacker McKnight , Phil Doon , and Billy Peterson , stole through Wilson 's paddock carrying mysterious bundles , and taking as many precautions to avoid observation and pursuit as if they were really , as they pretended to be with the fine imagination of early boyhood , desperate characters bent upon an undertaking of unparalleled lawlessness and great daring . They crossed the creek and crept along in the shadow of the hill , for the moon , although low down in the sky , was still bright and dangerous to hunted outlaws .