nine o'clock
But he was determined to see the bay , at least , and he no sooner read the diplomatic epistle from Monterey than he decided to accomplish this part of his purpose before the arrival of the Governor or Don Jose . He knew the material he had to deal with at the moment , but nothing of that already , no doubt , on its way to the north . Early in the morning after the return of the courier he wrote an informal note to Dona Ignacia , asking her to give him the honor of entertaining her for a day on the Juno , and to bring all the young people she would . As the weather was so fine , he hoped to see them in time for chocolate at nine o'clock . He knew that Luis , who was pressingly included in the invitation , had left at daybreak for his father 's rancho , some thirty miles to the south . There was a flutter at the Presidio when the invitation of the Chamberlain was made known . The compliment was not unexpected , but there had been a lively speculation as to what form the Russian 's return of hospitality would take .