eight o'clock
All during the meal , at intervals , they paused to listen , hoping that they would hear the halloos of the returning boys . Dan was becoming thoroughly alarmed and , at last , after a consultation with Meg , he turned to the others and said : `` We have decided to tell you the mission on which the boys started out so hurriedly . '' Of course Jane and Merry had surmised that they had gone in quest of the hidden box , but they knew nothing of the finding of the pick , shovel and carved name , and they were much interested . At eight o'clock Jean Willoughby rose . `` I had better be going , '' he said . `` I have a long hike ahead of me . '' But Dan protested .