one o'clock
So I said nothing on that point , but asked whether Master Withypool would require any introduction . And to this Mrs. Busk said , `` Oh dear , no ! '' And her throat had been a little rough since Sunday , and the dog was chained tight , even if any dog would bite a sweet young lady ; and to her mind the miller would be more taken up and less fit to vapor into obstacles , if I were to hit upon him all alone , just when he came out to the bank of his cabbage garden , not so very long after his dinner , to smoke his pipe and to see his things a-growing . It was time to get ready if I meant to catch him then , for he always dined at one o'clock , and the mill was some three or four meadows up the stream ; therefore as soon as Mrs. Busk had re-assured me that she was quite certain of my enemy 's departure , I took my drawing things and set forth to call upon Master Withypool . Passing through the church-yard , which was my nearest way , and glancing sadly at the `` fairy ring , '' I began to have some uneasiness about the possible issue of my new scheme . Such a thing required more thinking out than I had given to it . For instance , what reason could I give the miller for asking so strange a thing of him ?