three o'clock
I returned directly to the old man and his son ; and , let purity or motive go as it may , truth to tell , they were no losers by the priest 's conduct ; as I certainly slipped them a few additional shillings , out of sheer contempt for him . On tasting a little refreshment in one of the cabins , the son fainted -- but on the whole they were enabled to accomplish their journey home ; and the father 's blessing was surely a sufficient antidote against the Priest 's resentment . I was now ready to depart ; and on my way to the boat , found my two old female companions watching , lest I should pass , and they might miss my company on the way . It was now past three o'clock , and we determined to travel as far as we could that night , as the accommodations were vile in Petigo ; and the spokeswoman mentioned a house of entertainment , about twelve miles forward , where , she said , we would find better treatment . When we got on terra firma , the first man I saw was the monosyllabic humorist , sitting on a hillock resting himself -- his eyes fixed on the earth , and he evidently in a brown study on what he had gone through . He was drawing in his breath gradually , his cheeks expanding all the while , until they reached the utmost point of distention , when he would all at once let it go with a kind of easy puff , ending in a groan , as he surveyed his naked feet , which were now quite square , and , like my own , out of all shape . I asked him how he liked the station ; he gave me one of the old looks , shrugged his shoulders , but said nothing -- it was , however , a shrug condemnatory .