about ten o'clock
Zueline had cheered him up . He said he worshiped her -- that he 'd kill any one who spoke a bad word about her , and that he intended to protect her as long as he lived . Then Mitch and me went to my house . It was now about ten o'clock , and pa had n't come home . There seemed to be a lot stirrin ' someway , and ma said , `` Your father is very busy , and we 'll all go to bed and not wait for him . He has a key of his own . '' So pretty soon we were all in bed with the lights out .