three
in the afternoon
Sam was n't as dependent on them as college and university research men were , simply because he was engaged in industrial work , which carried much higher priorities than educational work did . Sam , however , was fed up with the whole mess , and would have given his eyeteeth to clear up the whole stupid farce . * * * * * Irritated by every petty distraction at his office , Sam Bending finally gave up trying to cope with anything for the rest of the day . At three in the afternoon , he told his secretary that he was going home , jammed his hat on his head , and went out to his car . He got in , turned the switch , and listened to the deep hum of the electric motors inside . Somehow , it made him feel so good that the irritations of the day lessened a great deal . He grinned .