about eight o'clock
Perhaps he saw Columbus land ! '' suggested Bluff humorously , for he could not quite believe any such tale . He concluded merely to knock out a tooth or two , to remember the event , but when Will heard about it he insisted on being ferried over so as to get a picture of their first Florida ` gator , with the proud Bluff standing beside it , to prove its length . They got under way about eight o'clock . Just at that time Jerry said he heard some distant shooting . It seemed to come from the direction the sheriff and his party had gone , so they wondered if they could have come up with the fugitive Bob , and whether those shots had any reference to the two hounds . `` I think the fellow must have been armed , and unless his gun became useless after his bath last night , his first care would be to shoot down the dogs , so as to cut off pursuit , '' ventured Frank .