one o’clock
So said Jones , and summoned his supporters , many of whom owed tithe , and none of whom wished to pay it , to do battle in his cause . For his part , Mr. Granger retained an auctioneer of undoubted courage who was to arrive on this very afternoon , supported by six policemen , and carry out the sale . Beatrice felt nervous about the whole thing , but Elizabeth was very determined , and the old clergyman was now bombastic and now despondent . The auctioneer arrived duly by the one o'clock train . He was a tall able-bodied man , not unlike Geoffrey in appearance , indeed at twenty yards distance it would have been difficult to tell them apart . The sale was fixed for half-past two , and Mr. Johnson -- that was the auctioneer 's name -- went to the inn to get his dinner before proceeding to business . He was informed of the hostile demonstration which awaited him , and that an English member of Parliament had been sent down especially to head the mob , but being a man of mettle pooh-poohed the whole affair .