About nine o'clock
I 've had them all prepared of pitch pine , full of resin , and able to give us all the light we want . '' Of course , both boys knew considerable about ` coon hunting at night -- they would not have been true sons of old Kentucky otherwise . But it happened that neither had ever been fortunate enough to participate in a genuine chase , and the chance appealed to them vigorously . About nine o'clock the major announced that it was time to make a start . The barking of the eager dogs that scented the coming fun told that time was passing slowly for them as well . Soon the little party had assembled and started for the edge of the big cornfield . Here several shocks of the white corn had been left as a tempting bait for a late hunt , and it was at such a point they anticipated having the dogs pick up the scent .