three o'clock
The tap was running again . Now it had shut easily in my hand , but not so easily that I could believe it had slipped open again of its own accord . ` This is Mrs. Carkeek 's doing , ' said I ; and am afraid I added ` Bother Mrs. Carkeek ! ' `` Well , there was no help for it : so I struck a light , looked at my watch , saw that the hour was just three o'clock , and descended the stairs again . At the pantry door I paused . I was not afraid -- not one little bit . In fact the notion that anything might be wrong had never crossed my mind .