a
quarter past six
That officer surveyed the dining-room , laid the cloth there with admirable precision and neatness ; ranged the plate on the sideboard with graceful accuracy , but objected to that old thing in the centre , as he called Mrs. Gashleigh 's silver basket , as cumbrous and useless for the table , where they would want all the room they could get . Order was not restored to the house , nor , indeed , any decent progress made , until this great man came : but where there was a revolt before , and a general disposition to strike work and to yell out defiance against Mrs. Gashleigh , who was sitting bewildered and furious in the drawing-room -- where there was before commotion , at the appearance of the master-spirit , all was peace and unanimity : the cook went back to her pans , the housemaid busied herself with the china and glass , cleaning some articles and breaking others , Buttons sprang up and down the stairs , obedient to the orders of his chief , and all things went well and in their season . At six , the man with the wine came from Binney and Latham 's . At a quarter past six , Timmins himself arrived . At half past six he might have been heard shouting out for his varnished boots but we know where THOSE had been hidden -- and for his dressing things ; but Mrs. Gashleigh had put them away . As in his vain inquiries for these articles he stood shouting , `` Nurse ! Buttons !