six
o'clock
They were in the station at the junction , inquiring of an official if the Speedwell had ceased to sail , when a countryman who had just come up from Sandbourne stated that , though the Speedwell had left off for the year , there was that day another steamer at Sandbourne . This steamer would of necessity return to Knollsea that evening , partly because several people from that place had been on board , and also because the Knollsea folk were waiting for groceries and draperies from London : there was not an ounce of tea or a hundredweight of coal in the village , owing to the recent winds , which had detained the provision parcels at Sandbourne , and kept the colliers up-channel until the change of weather this day . To introduce necessaries by a roundabout land journey was not easy when they had been ordered by the other and habitual route . The boat returned at six o'clock . So on they went to Sandbourne , driving off to the pier directly they reached that place , for it was getting towards night . The steamer was there , as the man had told them , much to the relief of Sol , who , being extremely anxious to enter Knollsea before a late hour , had known that this was the only way in which it could be done . Some unforeseen incident delayed the boat , and they walked up and down the pier to wait .