nine o'clock
Perhaps he had remembered the towel . Perhaps he would come again and spend the night there . I was like Peter : I cowered and shivered at the very thought . At nine o'clock I heard a boat at the door . It had stuck there , and its occupant was scolding furiously at the boatman . Soon after I heard splashing , and I knew that whoever it was was wading back to the stairs through the foot and a half or so of water still in the hall . I ran back to my room and locked myself in , and then stood , armed with the stove-lid-lifter , in case it should be Ladley and he should break the door in .