one o'clock
`` Thank you ; I do n't see that we can be of any use at present , but you will find us ready to turn out again the moment we hear that you have news . '' When the party returned to the hotel they sat talking the matter over for upwards of an hour . All were greatly discouraged , for they had little hope indeed of ever learning what had become of Mark . As they had started out Dick had told the night porter that he could not say what time they might return , but that before the house closed he must have a couple of bottles of spirits and some tumblers sent up to their sitting room , together with some bread and cold meat , for that they might not return until morning , and would need something before they went to bed , as they had had nothing since their dinner , at one o'clock . `` It wants something to take the taste of that place out of one 's mouth , '' Tring said to Dick , as , directly they entered , he poured some spirits into the glasses . `` I feel as queer as if I had been hocussed . '' All , indeed , were feeling the same , and it was not until they had eaten their supper and considerably lowered the spirits in the two bottles that they began to talk .