nine o'clock
He was full eighteen minutes and a half behind his time . Scrooge sat with his door wide open , that he might see him come into the tank . His hat was off before he opened the door ; his comforter too . He was on his stool in a jiffy , driving away with his pen , as if he were trying to overtake nine o'clock . ` Hallo ! ' growled Scrooge in his accustomed voice as near as he could feign it . ` What do you mean by coming here at this time of day ? '