one o'clock
Then Tom 's thoughts came back to earth , and Pete Warboys ' hole under the great pine-tree , and he was still busy over that , and the great gipsy-like boy 's habits , -- poaching , probably stealing , and making himself a nuisance to everybody , -- when he caught sight of the lad himself peering into a patch of coppice evidently watching something , that something proving to be the dog , which soon after leaped out into the road . Tom 's footsteps had been silenced by the soft green turf which margined the way , so that he was close up to the lad before he was noticed , and then Pete gave a bound and shot into the coppice , followed by his dog ; but once more the dog turned back to give him a friendly bark . `` After no good , or he would n't have rushed away like that , '' thought Tom , as he went on , reached the cottage feeling very little the worse for his long morning 's walk , and meaning to go up and busy himself in the laboratory ; but to his surprise Mrs Fidler stopped him . `` Do n't go away , Master Tom ; it 's close to one o'clock , and lunch will be ready . We will have regular dinner at seven , when your uncle comes back . '' `` If he does come to-night , '' said Tom . `` Oh , he will , my dear , if he possibly can , you may depend upon it . ''