nearly two O'clock
He was an honest , upright mechanic , but he was poor . It was with difficulty he had raised the fifty dollars on the day previous . Although he had never once failed in returning money at the time promised , still , for some reason or other , everybody appeared unwilling to lend him . It was nearly two O'clock and he was still a hundred dollars short . `` Well , '' said he to himself , `` I have done all I could , and if Hall wo n't renew the note for the balance , it will have to be protested . I 'll go and ask him , though I have not much hope that he will do it . '' As he was about leaving his shop for that purpose , a gentleman entered who wished to buy a second-hand carriage .