About one
o'clock in the morning
My search-warrant enabled me to go wherever I could get information of men being concealed -- this was easily obtained from a brother mid -LRB- the poor man might as well have been in the hands of the holy brotherhood -RRB- . My companion stated his firm conviction that sailors were concealed in the house ; I applied to the captain , and received orders to proceed by all means in execution of my duty . The tradesman was a man of consequence in Quebec , being what is there called a large storekeeper , though we in England should have called him a shopkeeper . About one o'clock in the morning we hammered at his door with no gentle tap , demanding admittance in the name of our sovereign lord the king . We were refused , and forthwith broke open the door , and spread over his house like a nest of cockroaches . Cellars , garrets , maids ' room , ladies ' rooms , we entered , _ sans ceremonie _ ; paid little regard to the Medicean costume of the fair occupants ; broke some of the most indispensable articles of bedroom furniture ; rattled the pots and pans about in the kitchen ; and , finding the two sons of the master of the house , ordered them to dress and come with us , certain , we said , that they were sailors . When the old tradesman saw me he began to smell a rat , and threatened me with severe punishment .