about nine o'clock
Hay had been forbidden to speak of it , even to his household . The officers-of-the-day were sworn to secrecy . Neither Wilkins nor the acting adjutant was closeted with the council , and neither , therefore , could do more than guess at the facts . Yet that somebody knew , in part at least , the trend of suspicion , was at once apparent to Webb and his councilors when , about nine o'clock , he took Blake and Dade to see those significant `` bar shoe '' hoof prints . Every one of them had disappeared . `` By Jove ! '' said Webb , `` I know _ now _ I should have set a sentry with orders to let no man walk or ride about here .