nine o'clock
So , when Paul did come back after dark , he carried the weapon under his arm in true hunter style ; for Paul had been several times up in Maine , and knew a good deal of woodcraft , having had actual experience , which is better than theory , any day . These four scouts were left in charge of the two boats , when finally Paul went back home to get some sleep before the eventful day that was to witness the sailing of the motorboat expedition : Bobolink ; Tom Betts ; Spider Sexton , of the Black Fox Patrol and Andy Flinn , who belonged to the Gray Foxes ; and firmly did they promise Paul to keep a bright lookout to make sure that no harm came to the boats during the long night . `` Here we are , monarchs of all we survey , '' remarked Bobolink , as the last of the other scouts went off , leaving the four guards to their task of taking care of those two fine motorboats for the night . It was nine o'clock . The well-known sounds from the church steeple had told them that ; and somehow every fellow counted the strokes aloud , as though on this night in particular they meant far more than at other times . Stanhope , not being a manufacturing town , like Manchester , was , as a rule , rather quiet of nights ; except when the Glorious Fourth was being celebrated ; or some other holiday kept the younger element on the move . Bobolink had been given the post of `` Captain of the Guards ; '' while Tom Betts was to be considered the second in command .