eleven o'clock
The sentry stationed at the northwest face of the post admitted having seen `` a rig from town '' making wide circuit clear around behind the fort on the westward `` bench , '' which was swept almost clean of snow . It had kept well out beyond hailing distance , stood a moment or two up at the edge of the bluff , then whirled about and went the way it came . What hour was this ? Just before they called off eleven o'clock . Why had he not mentioned or reported it ? Well , he thought it might have been some of the officers . `` They sometimes came out late and went in home the back way , '' whereat , in some confusion , Captain Langley dropped that phase of the investigation .