nine o'clock
And Pliny laughed again , while our hero walked off in disgust . Frank felt like an impostor when he discovered that his cordial reception was wholly owing to the belief that he was his mother 's heir . The situation was unpleasant , and he was impatient to have Mr. Tarbox undeceived . He was sure that Pliny would lose no time in revealing his true position , and decided not to return to the house of Mr. Tarbox till nine o'clock , when the story would have been told . He wandered about aimlessly till he heard the city clocks strike nine , and then rang the bell at his relation 's house . The family , with the exception of the two younger children , were assembled in the common sitting room . As Frank entered , instead of the cordial welcome he had previously received , he noticed a look of coldness and constraint on the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Tarbox , while Pliny looked as if some stupendous joke was being perpetrated .