one minute to five
He always seemed absorbed in his work and , when spoken to by Mr. Bale , answered in the fewest possible words , in an even , mechanical voice . It had seemed to Bob that he had been entirely oblivious to his presence ; and it did not appear to him now , as he sat with a book before him , waiting for the clock on the mantel to strike five , that existence at Mr. Medlin 's promised to be a lively one . Still , as there were boys and girls , it must be more amusing than it would be at his uncle 's and , at any rate , the clerk would not be so formidable a personage to deal with as Mr. Bale . At one minute to five he went down , so as to open the counting house door as the clock struck . As he went in through the outer door , his uncle came out from the inner office . `` Ah ! There you are , Robert .