twelve o'clock
I will pass over the labour of the ensuing hours wherein we all wrought cheerfully ; but evening found us camped within that oft-remembered wood beside the stream whose murmurous waters seemed to find a voice to welcome us . The Tinker stood resplendent in brass-buttoned coat of bottle green which , if a little threadbare at the seams , made up for this by the astonishing size and sheen of its buttons . At this precise moment -LRB- I remember -RRB- he was engaged in brushing it vigorously , pausing between whiles to pick carefully at certain refractory blemishes , to give an extra polish to some particular button , or consult the never-failing watch , for to-day Diana and I were to be married . `` By Goles , Peregrine , it 's past twelve o'clock already ! '' he ejaculated . `` They ought to be here soon and -- '' He checked suddenly and stood hushed and mute , for Jessamy had appeared , -- a glorified Jessamy , resplendent from top to toe ; his boots shone superbly , his coat sat on him with scarce a wrinkle , but his chief glory was his shirt , prodigiously beruffled at wrists and bosom . The Tinker eyed these noble adornments in undisguised admiration .