eleven a.m.
At the end of three days , Mr. Martin , professing much gratitude and pleasure for the hospitality shown him , departed for the South . At the end of four days , Mr. Gollop , making the excuse of urgent business , entrained for New York . Not that Mr. Gollop , having regard for the _ expressio falsi _ as compared with the _ suppressio veri _ , was strictly a prevaricator or that he told the exact truth , because he had slipped four whole days up his sleeve for his own entertainment ; four whole days in which he had not the slightest intention of visiting his firm ; four whole days that he intended to devote to art research , and exploration -- exploration of a wilderness known as MacDougall Alley . So accurately did he time his movements that he invaded MacDougall Alley at just eleven a.m. , which he considered a proper hour to find an aspiring artist at work while the light was most perfect and amenable . He was not disappointed , which he regarded as proof of acumen ; but he was surprised by his surroundings . No bare-walled studio , this , but a rather luxurious place . With a real rug on the floor , and real chairs to sit upon , and a cosy seat , and electric lights instead of bare boards , benches , charcoal brazier and tallow dips stuck in the necks of bottles blown for better contents .