about three o'clock in the afternoon
I therefore answered , I had not yet determined what to give ; and sneaked off toward my own lodging , lamenting my fate all the way , and inveighing with much bitterness against the barbarity of my grandfather , and the sordid avarice of my relations , who left me a prey to contempt and indigence . Full of these disagreeable reflections , I arrived at the house where I lodged , and relieved my landlord from great anxiety on my account ; for this honest man believed I had met with some dismal accident , and that he never should see me again . Strap , who had come to visit me in the morning , understanding I had been abroad all night , was almost distracted , and after having obtained leave of his master , had gone in quest of me , though he was even more ignorant of the town than I. Not being willing to inform the landlord of my adventure , I told him I had met an acquaintance at Surgeons ' Hall , with whom I spent the evening and night ; but being very much infested with bugs , I had not slept much , and therefore intended to take a little repose ; so saying , I went to bed , and desired to be awakened if Strap should happen to come wile I should be asleep . I was accordingly roused by my friend himself , who entered my chamber about three o'clock in the afternoon , and presented a figure to my eyes that I could scarce believe real . In short , this affectionate shaver , setting out towards Surgeons ' Hall , had inquired for me there to no purpose : from whence he found his way to the Navy Office , where he could hear no tidings of me , because I was unknown to everybody then present ; he afterwards went upon ` Change , in hopes of seeing me upon the Scotch walk , but without success . At last , being almost in despair of finding me , he resolved to ask everybody he met in the street , if perchance anyone could give him information about me ! and actually put his resolution in practice , in spite of the scoffs , curses , and reproaches with which he was answered ; until a blacksmith 's ` prentice seeing him stop a porter with a burden on his back , and hearing his question , for which he received a hearty curse , called to him , and asked if the person he inquired after was not a Scotchman ?