nine o'clock
There was an orderly on watch day and night , always ready to answer such questions , and besides , there was an abundance of notices on the walls pointing out the different offices ; but in spite of this , every stranger that came in must stop and make inquiries of me . `` Well , this man came into the office , and as he had evidently never been there before , judging by the way he gaped at every thing , I told him that it was after office hours , and that he must call again the next morning about nine o'clock . He took a turn or two across the floor -LRB- by-the-way , he wore squeaking boots , that made a noise like a steam-whistle -RRB- , and finally went out . `` The next evening , just as I was locking up my desk , he came in again , and I repeated what I had told him the night before , that he must come at nine o'clock in the _ morning _ -- not at night -- if he wished to see the captain , and he went out , after making noise enough with his squeaking boots to set a nervous man 's teeth on edge . Now , would you believe it , that evening , after I had finished my work , and was starting out for supper , I saw this man coming up the stairs . He met me with the usual question , ` Is the captain in ? ' and I suddenly hit upon a plan to get rid of him , for I had made up my mind that the man did n't know what he was about ; so I replied : '' ` What do you want ?