about three o'clock
In the docks they had been interviewed by more than a dozen people . A little later , in the afternoon of the same day , they had held a reception of pressmen in their sitting-room at the St. Regis Hotel . Charmian thought of these men now as she waited for Alston 's return . They had been introduced by Mr. Cane , Crayford 's publicity agent , and had arrived about three o'clock . All of them were , or looked as if they were , young men , smart and alert , men who meant something . And they had all been polite and charming . They had `` sat around '' attentively , and had put their questions without brutality .