about half past six o'clock
When he had no cash the Old Dear gave him credit until Saturday . At first , the place had not had much attraction for him , and he really went there only for the purpose of ` keeping in ' with Crass : but after a time he found it a very congenial way of passing his evenings ... One evening , Ruth saw Slyme meet Crass as if by appointment and as the two men went away together she returned to her housework wondering what it meant . Meantime , Crass and Slyme proceeded on their way down town . It was about half past six o'clock : the shops and streets were brilliantly lighted , and as they went along they saw numerous groups of men talking together in a listless way . Most of them were artisans and labourers out of employment and evidently in no great hurry to go home . Some of them had neither tea nor fire to go to , and stayed away from home as long as possible so as not to be compelled to look upon the misery of those who were waiting for them there . Others hung about hoping against all probability that they might even yet -- although it was so late -- hear of some job to be started somewhere or other .