seven o'clock
About five o'clock I arose , lighted a candle , dressed myself , and then , sitting down , wrote a short note to my mother , telling her that an engagement , formed the previous evening , to meet a friend , would probably detain me the greater part of the day ; and another note to Oaklands , saying that I had taken the liberty of borrowing a horse , begging him to speak of my absence as a thing of course , and promising to tell him more when I returned . I then waited till a faint grey tint in the eastern sky gave promise of the coming dawn ; when letting myself noiselessly out , I took my way towards the Hall . It was beginning to get light as I reached the stables , and , arousing one of the drowsy helpers , I made him saddle a bay mare , with whose high courage , speed , ~ 391 ~ ~ and powers of endurance I was well acquainted , and started on my expedition . As it was nearly eighteen miles to the place of meeting , I could scarcely hope to reach it by seven o'clock , the time mentioned in old Peter 's note ; but action was the only relief to my anxiety , and it may easily be supposed I did not lose much time on the road , so that it was but ten minutes after seven when I turned down the lane in which the little alehouse appointed as our rendezvous was situated . I found old Peter waiting to receive me , though the cloud upon his brow , speaking volumes of dark mystery , did not tend to raise my spirits . `` Late on parade , sir , '' was his greeting -- `` late on parade ; we should never have driven the Mounseers out of Spain if we 'd been ten minutes behind our time every morning . '' `` You forget , my friend , that I have had eighteen miles to ride , and that your notice was too short to allow of my giving orders about a horse over night . ''