three o'clock
But the afternoon was fine , and he set off to walk in the direction of the town , with a half-formed idea of looking in at his club . At his club he found a letter in his box from his particular chum , who had been spending the month shooting elk in Oregon . `` Dear Old Man , '' it said , `` will be back on the afternoon you receive this . Will hit the town on the three o'clock boat . Get seats for the best show going -- my treat -- and arrange to assimilate nutriment at the Poodle Dog -- also mine . I 've got miles of talk in me that I 've got to reel off before midnight . Yours .