eight o'clock
At tea I prepared the doctor for the possibility of my going out at night by a long-winded , babbling , and entirely fictitious account of Bolton 's morning call , from which it appeared that Mr. Bolton was so interested in Mr. Hobhouse 's account of how he saw the ship blow up that he would probably call in the evening to verify certain particulars and might even want Mr. Hobhouse to come with him to the house where he was lodging . And then after tea I smoked and read and waited . Darkness was beginning to fall when we finished tea that night and the lamps were lit when we went into the smoking room . At any moment the summons might come , and yet eight o'clock struck , and nine , and ten , and I even induced the doctor to sit up till after eleven , but still there was no sign of Bolton . And then at last I said some severe things to myself about the man , and we went to bed . Next morning was equally chilly and dismal , and after the doctor went out to visit a case , I sat over the fire resolved to stay there till Mr. Bolton came and explained himself . I stayed there all morning , but he never came , and no more did Dr. Rendall .