six o'clock
He would see what he could do with a certain brickmaker of his acquaintance . `` Are you here , Dan ? '' he said , knocking at the door of a cottage which stood alone , close to the towing-path of the canal , and close also to a forlorn corner of the muddy , watery , ugly , disordered brickfield . It was now just past six o'clock , and the men would be rising , as in midwinter they commenced their work at seven . The cottage was an unalluring , straight brick-built tenement , seeming as though intended to be one of a row which had never progressed beyond Number One . A voice answered from the interior , inquiring who was the visitor , to which Mr. Crawley replied by giving his name . Then the key was turned in the lock , and Dan Morris , the brickmaker , appeared with a candle in his hand .