five o'clock in the afternoon
`` Mr. Hawes , '' replied the chaplain , `` I have never done or said anything in the prison to lessen your authority , but privately I must remonstrate against the uncommon severities practiced upon prisoners in this jail . If you will listen to me I shall be much obliged to you -- if not , I am afraid I must , as a matter of conscience , call the attention of the visiting justices to the question . '' `` Well , parson , the justices will be in the jail to-day -- you tell them your story and I will tell them mine , '' said Hawes , with a cool air of defiance . Sure enough , at five o'clock in the afternoon two of the visiting justices arrived , accompanied by Mr. Wright , a young magistrate . They were met at the door by Hawes , who wore a look of delight at their appearance . They went round the prison with him , while he detained them in the center of the building till he had sent Hodges secretly to undo Josephs and set him on the crank ; and here the party found him at work . `` You have been a long time on the crank , my lad , '' said Hawes , `` you may go to your cell . ''