nine o'clock precisely
But there are limits to human endurance , none the less definite because that endurance appears illimitable . When father and sons tramped back to the farm that evening , just in time for supper , it was discovered that Margaret was absent . John Fordyce , grim old martinet that he was , looked round the table inquiringly ; but a glance at his wife 's face caused him to go on with his meal . At nine o'clock precisely the table was cleared . The herdman and two farm lasses came into the kitchen from their final tasks in the yard , and the great Bible was put down on the table for evening `` worship . '' John Fordyce , having looked up the `` portion '' which he proposed to read , then turned to the Metrical Psalms . These were sung night by night in unswerving rotation throughout the year , a custom which , while it offered the pleasing prospect of variety , occasionally left something to be desired on the score of appropriateness .