about half past five
That the coach should have been stopped and robbed was too common an event to excite much interest , but that two highwaymen should have been captured , and , as was rumored , a young gentleman brought in on a charge of being in connection with them , caused a thrill of excitement . Quite a small crowd was assembled before the courthouse , and the name of Squire Thorndyke passed from mouth to mouth . `` There is some talk of his being mixed up with it in some way or other , '' one said . `` I saw him myself ride in here , about half past five , and I wondered he was about so early . Some do say as he caught the two highwaymen single handed ; but that do n't stand to reason . Besides , what could he have been doing out at such an hour as that ? He is a good landlord , and they say that Crowswood has been quite a different place since he came to be master .