about two o'clock
He had seen Jernyngham secrete his money and had afterward ridden on with him , unaccompanied by anybody else . He could not prove when he returned to his farm , and it might be said that he stood to benefit by securing the management of Jernyngham 's property . When he reached the end of the furrows his face was grim , but he steadily continued his plowing . Prescott dismounted and turned loose his horse , short-hobbled , near the muskeg about two o'clock one hot afternoon . He had begun work at four that morning , and , with harvest drawing near , time was precious to him , but he was filled with a keen curiosity to see what progress Curtis had made in his search . He had a strong personal interest in the matter , because it seemed that some suspicion might rest on him ; though he was far from sharing the corporal 's conviction that Jernyngham was dead . Stopping at the edge of the ravine , he looked about , taking in the details of the scene .