three o'clock in the afternoon
Peregrine guessing , from this exclamation , and the circumstance of their being abed , that they mistook him for a robber , and were ignorant of that which he wanted to know , dispelled their terror , by making them acquainted with the cause of his visit , and desired the husband to get up with all possible despatch , in order to assist and attend him in his search . Thus reinforced , he rummaged every corner of the inn , and at last , finding the hostler in the stable , was by him informed , to his unspeakable mortification , that the gentleman and lady who arrived in the chaise , had immediately hired post-horses for a certain village at the distance of fifteen miles , and departed without halting for the least refreshment . Our adventurer , mad with his disappointment , mounted his horse in an instant , and , with his attendant , took the same road , with full determination to die , rather than desist from the prosecution of his design . He had , by this time , rode upwards of thirty miles , since three o'clock in the afternoon ; so that the horses were almost quite jaded , and travelled this stage so slowly , that it was morning before they reached the place of their destination , where , far from finding the fugitives , he understood that no such persons as he described had passed that way , and that , in all likelihood , they had taken a quite contrary direction , while in order to mislead him in his pursuit , they had amused the hostler with a false route . This conjecture was strengthened by his perceiving , now for the first time , that he had deviated a considerable way from the road , through which they must have journeyed , in order to arrive at the place of her mother 's residence ; and these suggestions utterly deprived him of the small remains of recollection which he had hitherto retained . His eyes rolled about , witnessing rage and distraction ; he foamed at the mouth , stamped upon the ground with great violence , uttered incoherent imprecations against himself and all mankind , and would have sallied forth again , he knew not whither , upon the same horse , which he had already almost killed with fatigue , had not his confidant found means to quiet the tumult of his thoughts , and recall his reflection , by representing the condition of the poor animals , and advising him to hire fresh horses , and ride post across the country , to the village in the neighbourhood of Mrs. Gauntlet 's habitation , where they should infallibly intercept the daughter , provided they could get the start of her upon the road . Peregrine not only relished , but forthwith acted in conformity with this good counsel .