nine o'clock
`` Can you tell me where I can find him , sir ? '' he asked . `` He is somewhere about the village , I presume . He said he would be back by nine o'clock or half-past . '' Ralph glanced at the tall clock which stood at the end of the hall , and saw that it lacked but ten minutes of nine . Percy might be in in a few minutes . `` If you please , I will wait for him , '' he said , politely .