nine o'clock
You must let me know what you do with her , and then perhaps , when I 've finished my book , I can buy her back . '' We struck off into the lane . The ground was slippery under the trees and we went single file , Mifflin in front . I looked at my watch -- it was nine o'clock , just an hour since I had left the van . As we neared the spot Mifflin kept looking ahead through the birch trees in a queer way . `` What 's the matter ? '' I said .