About nine o'clock
So , at seven this evening , the captain directed me to take this detachment and scour the town for you . If we did not find you by half-past nine I was to report back to the post by messenger , and a larger detachment , under an officer , was to be sent in . '' `` What time is it now ? '' `` About nine o'clock . '' `` We shall be back , then , '' nodded Hal , `` within the time mentioned in your orders . But I shall leave some of the detachment here until Captain Cortland has acted upon the report that I shall make . '' At that moment Sergeant Hal , glancing into Cerverra 's store , caught sight of the bright , eager eyes of the proprietor .