ten o'clock before
The afternoon was spent at old Mr. Truman 's in altering the position of the lightning rod , laying a hearth , and glazing some windows . And there they got their tea . The evening was spent in leading the exercises of the colored people 's missionary meeting at Colonel Mervin 's . As the session was rather long , it was after ten o'clock before they left the meetinghouse on their return home . The night was pitch dark ; the rain , that had been threatening all day long , now fell in torrents . They had a full four miles walk before them ; but the professor had an ample old cotton umbrella that sheltered both himself and his pupil ; so they trudged manfully onward , cheering the way with lively talk instead of overshadowing it with complaints . `` Black as pitch !