about noon
Certainly , Billy chewed , and others in the town , nor was it at that time uncommon at the North . He confided his difficulty to the groom , his boxing-master , who having in his room the needed utensil placed it beside the hall-fire , to Mr. Grey 's satisfaction -- a square tray of wood filled with sawdust . `` Not ornamental , but useful , John , in fact essential , '' said Mr. Grey , as John excused himself with the statement that he had to go to school . When he returned through the woods , about noon , to his relief he saw far down the avenue Mr. Grey and the gold-headed , tasselled cane he carried . A little later Mr. Grey in the sun of a cool day early in October was walking along the village street in keen search of news of politics . He talked first to Pole , the butcher , who hearing that he was a cousin of Mrs. Penhallow assured him that the town would go solid for Buchanan . Then he met Billy , who was going a-fishing , having refused a wood-cutting job the rector offered .