ten o'clock
Even when he had risen from Morris 's coterie to greet Henry MacFarlane -- Ruth 's father -- his intimate friend for years , and who answered his hand-shake with -- `` Well , you old rascal -- what makes you look so happy ? -- anybody left you a million ? '' -- even then he gave no inkling of the amount of bottled sunshine he was at the precise moment carrying inside his well-groomed body , except to remark with all his twinkles and wrinkles scampering loose : `` Seeing you , Henry -- '' an answer which , while it only excited derision and a sly thrust of his thumb into Peter 's ribs , was nevertheless literally true if the distinguished engineer did but know it . It was only when the hours dragged on and his oft-consulted watch marked ten o'clock that the merry wrinkles began to straighten and the eyes to wander . When an additional ten minutes had ticked themselves out , and then a five and then a ten more , the old fellow became so nervous that he began to make a tour of the club-house , even ascending the stairs , searching the library and dining-room , scanning each group and solitary individual he passed , until , thoroughly discouraged , he regained his seat only to press a bell lying among some half-empty glasses . The summoned waiter listened attentively , his head bent low to catch the whispered order , and then disappeared noiselessly in the direction of the front door , Peter 's fingers meanwhile beating an impatient staccato on the arm of his chair . Nothing resulting from this experiment he at last gave up all hope and again sought MacFarlane who was trying to pound into the head of a brother engineer some new theory of spontaneous explosions .