three o'clock
`` They 're goin ' to shoot the old cannon off , father , '' Harry told Uncle Daniel , `` and we 're all going over on the pond bank to see them , at three o'clock . '' `` They 're foolish to put powder in that old cracked gun , '' remarked Uncle Daniel . `` Take care , if you go over , that you all keep at a safe distance . '' It was not long until three o'clock , and then when all the red-white-and-blue things had been stored away for another year , the boys hurried off to see Peter Burns fire the old cannon . Quite a crowd of people had gathered about the pond bank , which was a high green wall like that which surrounds a reservoir . Peter was busy stuffing the powder in the old gun , and all the others looked on anxiously . `` Let 's go up in that big limb of the willow tree , '' suggested Bert .