one o'clock
`` What will they think ! '' `` I dare say , '' he ventured hopefully , `` I could hire a team at some farm-house -- '' `` But the delay ! It 's so late already ! '' Undeniably late : one o'clock at the earliest . A thought longer Maitland hung in lack of purpose , then without a word of explanation turned and again , began to wade out . `` What do you mean to do ? '' she cried , surprised .