about seven in
the morning
`` By the mortials I 'll baronite him ; -- I wull , '' said John seizing his hat and stalking off through the back kitchen after his friend . The next day there was great surprise at Sheep 's Acre farm , which communicated itself to the towns of Bungay and Beccles , and even affected the ordinary quiet life of Carbury Manor . Ruby Ruggles had gone away , and at about twelve o'clock in the day the old farmer became aware of the fact . She had started early , at about seven in the morning ; but Ruggles himself had been out long before that , and had not condescended to ask for her when he returned to the house for his breakfast . There had been a bad scene up in the bedroom overnight , after John Crumb had left the farm . The old man in his anger had tried to expel the girl ; but she had hung on to the bed-post and would not go ; and he had been frightened , when the maid came up crying and screaming murder . `` You 'll be out o ' this to-morrow as sure as my name 's Dannel Ruggles , '' said the farmer panting for breath .