nine o'clock at night
Two things he shrewdly noted about that biography ; it was placed , out of alphabetical order , fourth in the book , and it was longer than any other with one exception that of Mr. Ridout , the capital lawyer . Mr. Ridout 's place was second in this invaluable volume , he being preceded only by a harmless patriarch . These facts were laid before Mr. Tooting , who was directed by telephone to come to Leith as soon as he should arrive in Ripton from his latest excursion . It was nine o'clock at night when that long-suffering and mud-bespattered individual put in an appearance at the door of his friend 's study . `` Because I did n't get on to it , '' answered Mr. Tooting , in response to a reproach for not having registered a warning -- for he was Mr. Crewe 's seismograph . `` I knew old Adam was on the Railroads ' governor 's bench , but I had n't any notion he 'd been moved up to the top of the batting list . I told you right .