ten o'clock
In conformity with his promise , he duly presented himself in Westminster within twenty-four hours of his return to English soil , receiving an enthusiastic welcome from his former confreres , and especially from Bannister , whom he found busily engaged in plotting the result of the soundings taken at Lake Titicaca . He was also effusively welcomed by Mr Richards , who had already wrought himself into a state of distraction in his futile endeavours to clear up those very obscurities which formed the subject of Harry 's notes . But with the return of Escombe to the office the troubles of the chief draughtsman on that account ceased , and he found himself once more able to sleep at night ; for Harry promptly made it clear that he held himself absolutely at Sir Philip 's disposal until the whole of the plans relating to the survey should be completed . He presented himself at the office punctually at ten o'clock every morning , and worked diligently throughout the day for the succeeding two months until the entire work had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion , and Sir Philip had written his report and dispatched it with his proposals to the Chairman of the Peruvian Corporation . Whether those proposals will be carried into effect the future only can tell , for they involve the expenditure of a formidable number of millions . But it is safe to say that , if they are , Harry will take no part in the work , his view being that , since he has no need to earn his living , it would be wrong of him to accept a post and thus shut out someone who has that need . Still , he has the satisfaction of knowing that , although his future is independent of the goodwill of any man , he so conducted himself during the trying time of his service under Butler , and afterwards , while working singlehanded , as to win the warmest approval and esteem of Sir Philip Swinburne and the worthy Richards , the latter of whom is now wont to quote Harry Escombe as the pattern and model of all engineering pupils .