three
o'clock
He did not quite like to make his master 's kindness to the poor invalid girl his ostensible reason for desiring a change ; and , while he was looking around for a plausible pretext , the course of events supplied him with exactly such an occasion as he sought . Bounder had not as yet become aware of the daily visits of his master to his old workshop . He had been kept in ignorance of the matter merely because there was no special reason why he should be informed . One afternoon , on leaving home , `` Cobbler '' Horn had left word with Miss Jemima for the coachman to come to the old house , with the dog-cart , at three o'clock . Bounder received the order with a feeling of apathetic wonder as to what new freak he was expected to countenance and aid . At the entrance of the street in which the old house stood , he involuntarily pulled up his horse . Then , with an air of ineffable disdain , he drove slowly on , and proceeded to the number at which he had been directed to call .