twelve o'clock
before
Tell him anything will do , and please to hurry ! '' He did not hurry . Nobody hurries in Claxon . It was twelve o'clock before the buggy was at the door , a basket of lunch in it , and good-bys said ; and giving a last look around the big , dusty , sunshiny room with cobwebs on its walls and furniture in it that would have made a collector sick with desire , I walked out on the porch , and with me went the three dogs which had been stretched in front of the big log fire . Together we went down the steps . Tucking a robe around me , the old gentleman nodded to Selwyn . `` Do n't let your wife get cold , suh , and do n't stay out too long .