nine o'clock
Aunt Chloe was frequently interviewed , and begged to tell exactly how much of these stories might be believed ; but the old woman only shook her gayly turbaned head , and answered , `` You 's gwine see , chillun ! you 's gwine see ; only jes ' hab pashuns , an ' you 's gwine be ` warded by sich a sight ob fixin 's as make yo ' tink ole times back come , sho nuff . '' At last the eagerly expected morning dawned , and though a thick fog hid one bank of the river from the other , sounds of active stir and bustle announced to each community that the other was making ready for the great event . By nine o'clock the fog had lifted , and the sun shone out bright and warm . Before this Jan and the mules had made several trips between the house and the mill , each time with a heavy wagon load of -- something . Mr. Elmer , Mr. March , and Mark had gone to the mill as soon as breakfast was over , and had not been seen since . Aunt Chloe had been bustling about her kitchen `` sence de risin ' ob de mo ` nin ' star , '' and was , in her own estimation , the most important person on the place that day .