a quarter to eight
The wisdom of using the words `` after dark '' on the forged invitation was soon made evident , because the Crows did not come all at once , but gradually , by ones and twos , every few minutes between seven and half-past . In this way eleven more of the Crows were taken in . These were bundled down into the dark cellar , and stowed away in groups of three or four in three of the compartments of the cellar , each with a guard armed with a lantern and an Indian club . By a quarter to eight the Lakerimmers believed that they had accounted for all of the twenty-four Crows except the president , MacManus . Six had left town , six were stowed aloft in the cupola , and eleven were , as B.J. , the sailor , expressed it , `` below hatches . '' Five of the Dozen were posted as guards , and that left seven to go out upon the war-path and bring in the chief of the Ravens . He had felt his dignity too great to permit him to take two meals in one evening ; besides , he was very solemnly engaged in preparing a speech to deliver at the banquet ; and his task was very difficult , since he had to make a great splurge about the glories of the campaign , without reminding every one of the inglorious result of the attempt to haze the Dozen .