three in the morning
But ` Siah arranged for a guard . They were nearing the lake now and some ill-affected settler -LRB- there were several families of Tories near Champlain -RRB- might see them and wonder what such a large party of armed men was doing here . If the news of the approach of the main army did not travel ahead , it would be more because of good fortune than good management . The party broke up into groups of two and three in the morning and went different ways to the shore . It was agreed that , where the settlers who owned boats were known to be staunch Whigs , it would be safe to tell them for what purpose their crafts were needed . But several boats were owned by Tories and royalist sympathizers and these people must be deceived for , although the scouts were doubtless well armed and determined enough to take the boats without saying `` by your leave , '' such a proceeding might be disastrous to the expedition . ` Siah Bolderwood chose Enoch as his companion and went himself toward the home of a farmer who stoutly upheld the King and his ministers and who had , in fact , held the title of his land from New York through all the years of trouble between his neighbors and the Albany courts .