half after six
At length he rose and divested himself of his shawl and great-coat , which -LRB- far different from Mr Pinch 's -RRB- was a very warm and thick one ; but he was not a whit more conversational out of his great-coat than in it , for he sat down again in the same place and attitude , and leaning back in his chair , began to bite his nails . He was young -- one-and-twenty , perhaps -- and handsome ; with a keen dark eye , and a quickness of look and manner which made Tom sensible of a great contrast in his own bearing , and caused him to feel even more shy than usual . There was a clock in the room , which the stranger often turned to look at . Tom made frequent reference to it also ; partly from a nervous sympathy with its taciturn companion ; and partly because the new pupil was to inquire for him at half after six , and the hands were getting on towards that hour . Whenever the stranger caught him looking at this clock , a kind of confusion came upon Tom as if he had been found out in something ; and it was a perception of his uneasiness which caused the younger man to say , perhaps , with a smile : ` We both appear to be rather particular about the time . The fact is , I have an engagement to meet a gentleman here . ' ` So have I , ' said Mr Pinch .