nine o'clock
`` Go ` long with you . You 'd oughter been lookin ' after them kidnapers three hours ago . I bet Bud 's purty nigh wore out guardin ' them . He 's been there ever sence nine o'clock , an ' it 's half-past two now . '' `` Roscoe 's helpin ' him , '' muttered Anderson , abashed . At that instant there came a rush of footsteps across the front porch and in burst Ed Higgins and `` Blootch '' Peabody , fairly gasping with excitement . `` Hurry up , Anderson -- down to the jail , '' sputtered the former ; and then he was gone like the wind .