two o'clock
That is , he had known very little until after that dinner with Mr. Frank Blaisdell . It was that afternoon that Mr. Smith began systematically to gather material for his Blaisdell book . He would first visit by turns all the Hillerton Blaisdells , he decided ; then , when he had exhausted their resources , he would , of course , turn to the town records and cemeteries of Hillerton and the neighboring villages . Armed with a pencil and a very businesslike looking notebook , therefore , he started at two o'clock for the home of James Blaisdell . Remembering Mr. Blaisdell 's kind permission to come and ask all the questions he liked , he deemed it fitting to begin there . He had no trouble in finding the house , but there was no one in sight this time , as he ascended the steps . The house , indeed , seemed strangely quiet .