twelve o'clock
After a reasonable wait to see if water was coming in by the due process of law and growing doubtful about it , Noah Ezekiel had begun carefully laying plans . That morning he had gone to the Red Owl and had a secret session with Jack the Ace of Diamonds , one of the game keepers . Jack and the hill billy had become good friends , and Jack was more than willing to accommodate a friend . `` Now , Ace , '' said Noah , `` the idea is like this : This afternoon you send a Mexican out to that camp on the Dillenbeck canal with the information that the Owl wants to hire about eleven good boosters to begin work at twelve o'clock to-night ; and have the messenger casually but secretly give each of them a slip of paper that is dead sure to get him one of the jobs . `` And , '' Noah grinned , `` you give every one of 'em that applies a job for two days -- as a treat on me . You can fix it with the boss . '' `` Sure , '' grinned Jack , `` I 'll fix it . ''