eleven o'clock
Coming on , he turned aside to talk to some men who were digging a well . He knew how to talk to working people , and , what is more to the purpose , he knew how to make them talk ; but though they proffered a good deal of information about the neighbourhood , nothing was said that gave him any of the knowledge he wanted . And shortly he went on , and let himself in at the little gate with his key . It was not yet eleven o'clock , and as he did not want to see the ladies of the family so soon , he determined to go down into the steep glen and look about him . He had no doubt now that to this place the superstitious story belonged . First , he skirted it all about . From above it was nearly as round as a cup , and as deep in proportion to its size .