nine o'clock
`` There 's something wrong . Something has happened to one or both of the fellows . They left here before eight o'clock , and now it 's twenty minutes of eleven . If everything had been all right , they 'd have been back here by half-past nine o'clock at the latest . '' `` Suppose we haul down the tent , pack the outfit and move on down the road , looking for some trace of them , '' proposed Greg . `` No ; that would delay the start too much , '' Tom replied , with a shake of his head . `` Whoever goes out to hunt for Dick and Dave must move fast and not be tied to a horse and wagon .