The opinions of this junto were completely controlled by Nicholas Vedder, a patriarch of the village, and landlord of the inn, at the door of which he took his seat from morning till night, just moving sufficiently to avoid the sun, and keep in the shade of a large tree; so that the neighbors could tell the hour by his movements as accurately as by a sun-dial. In this excerpt from "Rip Van Winkle," what best describes the way Irving uses the word junto to describe the men who meet every day at the bench in front of the inn? Select all that apply.

A. a figurative comparison
B. a group of men with shared political interests
C. a literal comparison
D. friends who form a tight-knit group