noon
His mother , foreseeing just what happened , wished to have kept the news from him till within a week of his departure , and had agreed with Mr. Proctor that it should be so . But Mr. Proctor hated secrets , and , as we see , let it out immediately . At last , the day came ; -- a warm , sunny , autumn day , on which any one might have enjoyed the prospect of a drive into the country . The coach was to set off from an inn in Fleet-street at noon , and would set Hugh down at his uncle 's door in time for dinner , the distance being twenty-eight miles . His uncle 's house was just two miles from the school . Phil would probably be there to meet his brother , and take him to Crofton in the afternoon . How to get rid of the hours till noon was the question .