nine o'clock
The ball lay scarcely four yards away from the glorious goalposts . Then , before the school could sweep them up ; panting , exhausted , they gathered in a circle with incredulous , delirious faces , and leaning heavily , wearily on one another gave the cheer for Andover . And the touch of Stover 's arm on McCarty 's shoulder was like an embrace . At nine o'clock that night Stover eluded Dennis de Brian de Boru Finnegan and the Tennessee Shad and went across the dusky campus , faintly lit by the low-hanging moon . Past him hundreds of gnomelike figures were scurrying , carrying shadowy planks and barrels , while gleeful voices crossed and recrossed . `` There 's a whole pile back of Appleby 's . '' `` We 've got an oil barrel . ''