four o'clock
Next morning -- Christmas Day -- we all attended church together ; that is to say , all we of the family , for our guest chose rather to remain in the parlour with the cider-mug . Parson Kendall preached to us at length on Obedience and the authority delegated by God upon kings ; and working back to his text , which was I. Samuel , xvii . 42 , wound up with some particular commendation of `` the young man to-day going forth from amongst us '' -- which turned all heads towards the Lawhibbet pew and set Mark blushing and me almost as shamefacedly , but Margery , after the first flow of colour , turned towards her brother with bright proud eyes . That same afternoon between three and four o'clock -- so suddenly was all decided -- Mark rode away from us on the young sorrel , and the trooper beside him , to join the force Sir Bevill Grenvill was collecting for Sir Ralph Hopton at Liskeard . To his father he said good-bye at the yard-gate , but Margery and I walked beside the horses to the ford and afterwards stood and watched their crossing , waving many times as Mark turned and waved a hand back , and the red sun over behind us blinked on the trooper 's cap and shoulder-piece . Just before they disappeared we turned away together -- for it is unlucky to watch anyone out of sight -- and I saw that Margery was trembling from head to foot . `` But he will come back , '' said I , to comfort her .