nearly ten o'clock
The next house had a more tolerable atmosphere , and contained some blossoms to which he gave momentary attention . In the third house , through the glass-door , he could see a man -- evidently a gardener -- lifting some pots to a shelf overhead . The thought occurred to him that by entering into conversation with this man , he might indirectly obtain a hint as to the usual breakfast-hour at Hadlow . It was now nearly ten o'clock , and he was getting very hungry . Would they not ring a bell , or sound a gong , or something ? he wondered . Perhaps there had been some such summons , and he had not heard it .