four o'clock
`` Your father sat down to his writing-table , and began two letters -- one for his young wife , the other to his father -- and , while he was thus employed , I ran home , told Mary not to expect me home that night , and put on a suit of plain clothes . Before he was done , I had his sword and my own in excellent order ; for I was as good at fencing as he was , in consequence of having practised with him all the manly exercises he had learned . As soon as he was ready , we began play at the swords ; as the captain was an expert swordsman , while my master had had no practice for several years . Thus we passed the night until past four o'clock . When we sallied forth , we called at Blackford 's Wynd upon his second , whom we found waiting upon him , and then proceeded by St Mary 's Wynd Port and the South Back of the Canongate to the ground , which we reached a few minutes before the appointed time . The captain and his friend arrived almost as soon as we did . Since then , I have seen blood spilled as freely as water ; but never did my heart quail as at this time .