nine o’clock
Pierce had floundered up , and was rubbing one of his long legs , which had doubled under him in the fall , while his brother , Pierce junior , was collecting an armful of scattered books , and whispering prognostications of parental vengeance in prospective ; for , so surely as Pierce senior fell into a fight at school , to the damage of face or clothes , so surely was it followed up by punishment at home . `` If you want proof , go to Butterby at the police station , and get it from him , '' sullenly replied Pierce , who owned a sulky temper as well as a pugnacious one . `` Look here , '' interrupted Mark Galloway , springing to the front : `` Pierce was a fool to bring it out in that way , but I 'll speak up now it has come to this . I went into my uncle 's , this morning , at nine o'clock , and there was he , shut in with Butterby . Butterby was saying that there was no doubt the theft had been committed by Arthur Channing . Mind , Channing , '' Mark added , turning to Tom , `` I am not seconding the accusation on my own score ; but , that Butterby said it I 'll declare . '' `` Pshaw !