one o'clock
It had been settled between us that we should expect him soon after noon on the last day of December . For the Doones being lazy and fond of bed , as the manner is of dishonest folk , the surest way to escape them was to travel before they were up and about , to-wit , in the forenoon of the day . But herein we reckoned without our host : for being in high festivity , as became good Papists , the robbers were too lazy , it seems , to take the trouble of going to bed ; and forth they rode on the Old Year-morning , not with any view of business , but purely in search of mischief . We had put off our dinner till one o'clock -LRB- which to me was a sad foregoing -RRB- , and there was to be a brave supper at six of the clock , upon New Year 's - eve ; and the singers to come with their lanthorns , and do it outside the parlour-window , and then have hot cup till their heads should go round , after making away with the victuals . For although there was nobody now in our family to be churchwarden of Oare , it was well admitted that we were the people entitled alone to that dignity ; and though Nicholas Snowe was in office by name , he managed it only by mother 's advice ; and a pretty mess he made of it , so that every one longed for a Ridd again , soon as ever I should be old enough . This Nicholas Snowe was to come in the evening , with his three tall comely daughters , strapping girls , and well skilled in the dairy ; and the story was all over the parish , on a stupid conceit of John Fry 's , that I should have been in love with all three , if there had been but one of them . These Snowes were to come , and come they did , partly because Mr. Huckaback liked to see fine young maidens , and partly because none but Nicholas Snowe could smoke a pipe now all around our parts , except of the very high people , whom we durst never invite .