three o’clock
He telephoned repeatedly to the driver chap , to impress upon him the importance of his mission . His guests began to arrive even before I had decked his sideboard with what was , I have no hesitation in declaring , the most superbly dainty buffet collation that Red Gap had ever beheld . The atmosphere at once became tense with expectation . At three o'clock the host announced from the telephone : `` Vane-Basingwell has started from the Floud house . '' The guests thrilled and hushed the careless chatter of new arrivals . Belknap-Jackson remained heroically at the telephone , having demanded to be put through to the hotel . He was flushed with excitement .