about nine o'clock
`` What heroes from the woodland sprung , When , through the fresh-awakened land , The thrilling cry of freedom rung . And to the work of warfare strung The yeoman 's iron hand ! '' Leaving Woodburn to the hot and eager pursuit that patriotism and private animosity had prompted him to undertake , we will now precede him a few miles on the road , for the purpose of introducing and accompanying another old acquaintance , who was also destined to become an actor in the wild and stirring adventures of the night . Near the southern confines of Manchester , about nine o'clock , the same evening , a youth of the probable age of twenty , of a sandy complexion , and of a rather slight , but evidently tough , wiry frame , with a short rifle on his shoulder , and powder-horn and ball-pouch slung at his back , was making his solitary way on foot along the main road towards the town just mentioned . As he now reached the Batenkill , where the stream , here first beginning to find a more peaceful flow , after its headlong descent from the Green Mountains , intersected the road , he suddenly paused and began to muse , with the air of one who has been struck by some new thought tending to divert him from his settled purposes ; and , slowly passing on to the bridge , which , after the rude construction of the times , had been thrown across the river at this place , he took a seat on one of the side-timbers , or binders , as they were usually termed , and , in accordance with an old and inveterate habit , generated probably by the peculiar circumstances of his early life , began to commune with himself aloud . `` I wonder what this new business is they want you should do Bart ? Harry said it was a secret matter when he handed over the paper , '' he continued , pulling out and abstractedly unrolling a small wad of white paper , `` a kinder private commission , or something , which he would explain about , after I had gone and got his letter to the girl , as he met me on my way back .