four o'clock
A very coarse , but delightfully clean white cloth , hid the roughness and imperfections of the dry-goods box ; and his stock of crockery , consisting of three cups and saucers , three large plates , and three pie plates , purchased at the auction rooms , were disposed of with all the skill which his native tact and his apprenticeship at the Euclid House had taught him . After mature deliberation he had bargained for and rolled back the barrel , made it stationary with the help of a nail or two , and mounting it was ready for customers . He had them , too -- one especially , whose appearance filled him with great satisfaction . With the incoming of the four o'clock train Mr. Stephens appeared , stopped in surprise on seeing his new acquaintance , asked numerous questions , and finally remarked that he had been gone all day , and might as well take his lunch there and go directly to the store . So Tode had the very great pleasure of seeing him drink two cups of his coffee , eat three of his cakes , and lay down fifty cents in payment thereof . Never was there a more satisfied boy than he , when at dusk he packed his cakes into a basket procured for the purpose , covered them carefully with the table-cloth , tucked the coffee-pot in at one end , and marched whistling away toward home . He had been gone since quite early in the morning , had procured his own breakfast and dinner , according to previous arrangement , but was going home to tea .