four in the morning
There were none even of the landers knew what was become of us , save only Ratsey ; and he never came down the quarry , but would leave what he brought in one of the ruined cottages a half-mile from the shaft . And all the while there was strict search being made for us , and mounted Excisemen scouring the country ; for though at first the Posse took back Maskew 's dead body and said we must have fallen over the cliff , for there was nothing to be found of us , yet afterwards a farm-boy brought a tale of how he had come suddenly on men lurking under a wall , and how one had a bloody foot and leg , and how the other sprung upon him and after a fierce struggle wrenched his master 's rook-piece from his hands , rifled his pocket of a powder-horn , and made off with them like a hare towards Corfe . And as to Maskew , some of the soldiers said that Elzevir had shot him , and others that he died by misadventure , being killed by a stray bullet of one of his own men on the hill-top ; but for all that they put a head-price on Elzevir of 50 , and 20 for me , so we had reason to lie close . It must have been Maskew that listened that night at the door when Elzevir told me the hour at which the cargo was to be run ; for the Posse had been ordered to be at Hoar Head at four in the morning . So all the gang would have been taken had it not been for the Gulder making earlier , and the soldiers being delayed by tippling at the Lobster . All this Elzevir learnt from Ratsey and told me to pass the time , though in truth I had as lief not heard it , for 't is no pleasant thing to see one 's head wrote down so low as 20 . And what I wanted most to know , namely how Grace fared and how she took the bad news of her father 's death , I could not hear , for Elzevir said nothing , and I was shy to ask him .