eight o'clock
His face wore the resigned look of a martyr . Miss Morgan was studiously gracious . He dropped leaden monosyllables into the cheery flow of her conversation , and after breakfast put in his time at the woodshed . At eight o'clock that morning the town of Willow Creek was in the thrall of the circus . Country wagons were passing on every side street . Delivery carts were rattling about with unusual alacrity . By half-past nine dressed-up children were flitting along the side streets hurrying their seniors .