three
o'clock
I am afraid we shall have rain to-morrow . ' Larkin uttered a short groan . ` So they sent him into the small card-room , next that we were playing in . I think we were about the last in the club -- it was past three o'clock -- and so the old boys deliberated on their sentence . To bring the matter before the committee were utter ruin to Mark , and they let him off , on these conditions -- he was to retire forthwith from the club ; he was never to play any game of cards again ; and , lastly , he was never more to address any one of the gentlemen who were present at his detection . Poor dear devil ! -- how he did jump at the conditions ; -- and provided they were each and all strictly observed , it was intimated that the occurrence should be kept secret .