ten o’clock at night
When all was as safe as it could be made , I and my man and four sailors started for the quay , telling the master that I would return upon the morrow . The wind and current aiding us , we landed safe and sound and at once I rode back to Cheapside . Now , though it is short to tell , all this had taken a long while , also the way was far to ride in such a storm . Thus it came about that it was nigh to ten o'clock at night when , thanking God , I dismounted at the gate of my house and bade the servant take the horses to the stable . As I drew near the door , it opened , which astonished me and , as the light within showed , there stood Kari . What astonished me still more , he had the great sword , Wave-Flame , in his hand , though not drawn , which sword he must have fetched from where it was kept with the French knight 's armour and the shield that bore three arrows as a cognizance . Laying his finger on his lips he shut the door softly , then said in a low voice : `` Master , there is a man up yonder with the lady . ''