about eight o'clock
And he went out smiling . When the Captain entered the house , he found Emma getting supper , Martha setting the table and Ruth , with a candy box before her at the piano , going over her everlasting `` Ah-ah-ah-ah-ahs '' from `` C to C '' as Emma called it . Emma took her father 's hat , put it away and said : `` Well , father -- what 's the news ? '' `` Well , '' replied the Captain , with some show of deliberation , `` a friend of mine down town told me to tell you girls to wash the cat for he 'll be along here about eight o'clock . '' `` Mr. Brotherton , '' scoffed Ruth . `` It 's up to you two , '' she cried gayly in the midst of her eternal journey from `` C '' to `` C. '' `` He never wears his Odd Fellows ' pin unless he 's been singing at an Odd Fellows ' funeral , so that lets me out to-night . '' `` Well , '' sighed Emma , `` I do n't know that I want him even if he has on his Shriner 's pin .