three o'clock
They were hospitably received by the brothers whose duty it was to entertain the infrequent guest . They drank of the precious cordial , finding it rarely potent and reviving . They listened to the great , ever-echoing bell , and learned that they were pioneer travelers , in those gray stone walls , over the Englishman whose restless feet have trodden nearly every corner of the earth . At three o'clock on the afternoon they arrived , the two young Gothamites stood with good Brother Cristofer in the great , cold hallway of the monastery to watch the monks march past on their way to the refectory . They came slowly , pacing by twos , with their heads bowed , treading noiselessly with sandaled feet upon the rough stone flags . As the procession slowly filed past , Eyres suddenly gripped Gilliam by the arm . `` Look , '' he whispered , eagerly , `` at the one just opposite you now -- the one on this side , with his hand at his waist -- if that is n't Johnny Bellchambers then I never saw him ! ''