five minutes before eleven
Daly , among other virtues , or vices , was famed for punctuality . He wore a large silver watch in his pocket which was as true as the sun , or at any rate was believed by its owner to be so . From Daly 's watch on hunting mornings there was no appeal . He always reached the appointed meet at five minutes before eleven , by his watch , and by his watch the hounds were always moved from their haunches at five minutes past eleven . Though the Lord Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary and the Lord Chancellor had been there , there would have been no deviation . The interval of ten minutes he generally spent in whispered confabulations with the earth-warners , secrets into which no attendant horseman ever dived ; for Black Daly was a mysterious man , who did not choose to be inquired into as to his movements . On this occasion he said not a word to any earth-warner , though two were in attendance ; but he sat silent and more gloomy than ever on his big black horse , waiting for the minutes to pass by till he should be able to run his hounds through the Ballytowngal coverts , and then hurry on to Moytubber .