nine o'clock before
He fetched the axe , and we cut away the ice round the geese and then carried six loads of them down to camp . If we had had any proper means of preparing a goose we should certainly have put one to bake in the stove oven ; for all three of us were hungry . As it was , Addison said we had better make a scoot , load the geese on it , and take the nearest way home . We had only the axe and our jackknives to work with , and it was nine o'clock before we had built a rude sled and loaded the geese on it . As we were about to start we heard a familiar voice cry , `` Well , well ; there they are ! '' And who should come through the cedars but the old Squire ! A little behind him was Tom 's father .