About five o'clock
Jim nodded . Iron Skull 's life in many ways seemed a personal reproach to Jim for his own way of living . The work at the abutments absorbed Jim until late afternoon ; absorbed him and cheered him . About five o'clock he started off to call on Pen , and tell her about the Secretary 's letter . He found her plodding up the road toward the tent house with a pile of groceries in her arms . `` I missed the regular delivery , '' she replied to his protests as he took the packages from her , `` and I love to go down to the store , shopping . It 's like a glorified cross-roads emporium .