nine o'clock
He had now flung open the windows and we were gazing out upon the silent and motionless landscape . `` Let me consider , '' he continued . `` It was about three , or a little after , yesterday afternoon that the world finally entered the poison belt to the extent of being completely submerged . It is now nine o'clock . The question is , at what hour did we pass out from it ? '' `` The air was very bad at daybreak , '' said I. `` Later than that , '' said Mrs. Challenger . `` As late as eight o'clock I distinctly felt the same choking at my throat which came at the outset . ''