about twelve o’clock
in a way that would set everything to indiscriminate rout in a moment . Haley ran up and down , and cursed and swore and stamped miscellaneously . Mr. Shelby in vain tried to shout directions from the balcony , and Mrs. Shelby from her chamber window alternately laughed and wondered , -- not without some inkling of what lay at the bottom of all this confusion . At last , about twelve o'clock , Sam appeared triumphant , mounted on Jerry , with Haley 's horse by his side , reeking with sweat , but with flashing eyes and dilated nostrils , showing that the spirit of freedom had not yet entirely subsided . `` He 's cotched ! '' he exclaimed , triumphantly . `` If ' t had n't been for me , they might a bust themselves , all on 'em ; but I cotched him ! ''