ten o’clock
Power , who knew something of every man 's adventures , was aware of so much of poor Sparks 's career , and usually contrived to lay a trap for a confession that generally served to amuse us during an evening , -- as much , I acknowledge , from the manner of the recital as anything contained in the story . There was a species of serious matter-of-fact simplicity in his detail of the most ridiculous scenes that left you convinced that his bearing upon the affair in question must have greatly heightened the absurdity , -- nothing , however comic or droll in itself , ever exciting in him the least approach to a smile . He sat with his large light-blue eyes , light hair , long upper lip , and retreating chin , lisping out an account of an adventure , with a look of Listen about him that was inconceivably amusing . `` Come , Sparks , '' said Power , `` I claim a promise you made me the other night , on condition we let you off making the oyster-patties at ten o'clock ; you ca n't forget what I mean . '' Here the captain knowingly touched the tip of his ear , at which signal the cornet colored slightly , and drank off his wine in a hurried , confused way . `` He promised to tell us , Major , how he lost the tip of his left ear . I have myself heard hints of the circumstance , but would much rather hear Sparks 's own version of it . ''