seven o'clock
The whole day was spent in surmises and suppositions ; but things all ended in the simple fact , that somehow or another Smallbones had fallen overboard , and there was an end of the poor fellow . So soon as the cutter was at anchor , Mr Vanslyperken hastened to perform his official duties , and anxious to learn how Smallbones had contrived to escape the clutches of his mother , bent his steps towards the half-way houses . He arrived at the door of his mother 's room , and knocked as usual , but there was no reply . It was now the latter end of July , and although it was past seven o'clock it was full daylight . Vanslyperken knocked again and again . His mother must be out , he thought : and if so , she always took the key with her . He had nothing to do but to wait for her return .