nearly two o'clock
`` Oh , how tiresome ! '' thought Tom ; `` just too when I felt I could tell him . Now I must begin all over again . '' It was not until nearly two o'clock that Uncle Richard returned , looking very serious ; and as they went into the little dining-room alone , Mrs Fidler having stopped back to give some orders respecting the dinner , Tom screwed himself up to make the announcement , which would have come easily enough if it had not been for David 's charge , and a shrinking feeling which it had engendered , that Uncle Richard might fancy the same thing . But at last the boy , in his consciousness of innocence , was ready to speak , and turned to him . `` Uncle , '' he said quickly , `` I want to say something to you about the speculum . '' `` Not now , my boy ; I have something else to think about .