about eight o'clock
For when he had ascertained that she had fled , he knew that all was lost -- and lost through Capitola , the hated girl for whose destruction he had now another and a stronger motive -- revenge ! In this mood of mind three days before his departure to join his regiment he sought the retreat of the outlaw . He chose an early hour of the evening as that in which he should be most likely to find Black Donald . It was about eight o'clock when he wrapped his large cloak around his tall figure , pulled his hat low over his sinister brow and set out to walk alone to the secret cavern in the side of the Demon 's Punch Bowl . The night was dark and the path dangerous ; but his directions had been careful , so that when he reached the brink of that awful abyss he knew precisely where to begin his descent with the least danger of being precipitated to the bottom . And by taking a strong hold upon the stunted saplings of pine and cedar that grew down through the clefts of the ravine , and placing his feet firmly upon the points of projecting rocks , he contrived to descend the inside of that horrible abyss , which from the top seemed to be fraught with certain death to any one daring enough to make the attempt . When about half-way down the precipice he reached the clump of cedar bushes growing in the deep cleft , and concealing the hole that formed the entrance to the cavern .