ten o'clock
The men and boys were in the street , grouped in front of the tavern , the women at the windows , watching , some with alarmed , but many with amused faces . Sally Fairthorn , although it was washing-day , stole up through Dr. Deane 's garden and into Martha 's room , for at least half an hour , but Joe and Jake left their overturned shocks of corn unhusked for the whole day . Some of the young farmers to whom the message had been sent , returned answer that they were very busy and could not leave their work ; the horses of others were lame ; the guns of others broken . By ten o'clock , however , there were nine volunteers , very irregularly armed and mounted , in attendance ; by eleven o'clock , thirteen , and Alfred Barton , whose place as leader was anything but comfortable , began to swell with an air of importance , and set about examining the guns of his command . Neither he nor any one else noticed particularly that the Irish ostler appeared to be a great connoisseur in muskets , and was especially interested in the structure of the flints and pans . `` Let 's look over the roll , and see how many are true blue , '' said Barton , drawing a paper from his pocket . `` There 's failing nine or ten , among 'em some I fully counted on -- Withers , he _ may _ come yet ; Ferris , hardly time to get word ; but Carson , Potter , and Travilla ought to turn up curst soon , or we 'll have the sport without 'em ! ''