Six o'clock
`` It 's the suffering human limit ! '' rejoined Mr. Shrimplin with feeling . As he spoke the town bell rang the hour ; unconsciously , perhaps , the two men paused until the last reverberating stroke had spent itself in the snowy distance . `` Six o'clock , '' observed Mr. Shrimplin . `` Good night , Shrimp , '' replied North irrelevantly . He turned away and an instant later was engulfed in the wintry night . Having at last pointed Bill 's head in the right direction Mr. Shrimplin drove that trusty beast up to the lamp-post on the corner of High Street , when suddenly and for no apparent reason Bill settled back in the shafts and exhibited unmistakable , though humiliating symptoms of fright .