eight o'clock before
After a while one of the two policemen came back to the road , and assisted Frank Jones in carrying up poor Clayton to the inn . Hunter , though still maimed by his wound , stuck to the pursuit , assisted by two other policemen from Cong , who soon appeared upon the scene . But the man escaped , and his flight was soon covered by the darkness of night . It had been eight o'clock before the party had left the inn , and had wandered with great imprudence further than they had intended . At least , so it was said after the occurrence ; though , had nothing happened , they would have reached their homes before night had in truth set in . But men said of Clayton that he had become so hardened by the practices of his life , and by the failure of all attempts hitherto made against him , that he had become incredulous of harm . `` They have got me at last , '' he said to Frank the next morning .