eight o'clock
He arose to his feet , slowly . `` What am I doing here -- wasting time ? '' he seemed to ask the woods . Without picking up his camping gear at all , he headed for the road , thumbed a ride to Jarviston , where he arrived before eight o'clock . Somebody had started ringing the city hall bell . Celebration ? Hendricks ' was the most logical place for Nelsen to go , but he passed it by , following a hunch to his old street .