ten o'clock
Unconsciously by his hustling manner and by his sly suggestion of superiority now to one and again to the other , he put both boys upon their mettle , and before they were aware they were going at a racing pace , though neither would acknowledge that to the other . Alec kept following them close , almost running for his sheaves , flinging a word of encouragement now to one , now to the other , shouting at Ben as he turned the corners , and by every means possible keeping the excitement at the highest point . But he was careful not to overdrive his men . By a previous arrangement and without serious difficulty he had persuaded Teenie Ross , who had come to assist the Morrison girls at the threshing , to bring out a lunch to the field at ten o'clock . For half an hour they sat in the long grass in the shade of a maple tree eating the lunch which Dick at least was beginning to feel in need of . But not a minute more did Alec allow . `` I 'm going to catch you fellows , '' he said , `` if I 've to take off my shirt to do it . ''