about five o'clock
He had more than usual before him on this particular evening , as , besides calling at the post-office -- an errand he never missed -- he had discovered another old bookshop across the river which kept open till seven o'clock . And after that he had promised Freddy and Teddy , with whom from the first he had kept up a warm friendship , to call up at their house and help them mend their tricycle . With this full programme before him , he lost no time in starting on his travels ; little dreaming that the quick pace at which he strode along gave unwonted exercise to Mr Jonah Trimble , who , animated by an amiable curiosity , dogged his footsteps at a respectful distance . It was about five o'clock when Jeffreys reached the post-office . The clerk knew him by this time , and this evening handed him a letter without being asked . It was a short friendly line from Mr Frampton with no news -- at any rate about Forrester ; and Trimble , as he watched him emerge from the office , letter in hand , and haggard in face , chalked down in in his own mind a first clue as to the mystery that was exercising him . From the post-office Jeffreys strolled leisurely down the streets toward the bridge , stopping to look into some of the shops by the way , and occasionally making Trimble 's heart jump by looking behind him .