nine o'clock
The band marched to within a mile of the barns . They then halted at a stack of straw , and sat down while one of Archie 's band went forward to see what was being done . He reported that a great feast , at which the governor and all the officers of the garrison , with other English dwelling in town , were present , was just beginning in the great barn where the massacre had taken place . Soon after nine o'clock the man who had been left behind , with ten others , who had come in after Wallace had marched , came up . Each man , by Wallace 's directions , drew a great truss of straw from the stack , and then the party , now eighty in all , marched toward the barn . Wallace 's instructions were that so soon as the work had fairly begun , Grahame , with Archie and half the band , was to hurry off to seize the gate of Ayr , feigning to be a portion of the guard at the barn . When they approached the spot they saw that the wooden building was brightly lit up with lights within , and the English guard , some fifty in number , were standing carelessly without , or , seated round fires , were carousing on wine which had been sent out by the revellers within .