three
o’clock
`` Today is Friday , '' said Sergeant Cuff , addressing himself to Superintendent Seegrave . `` Let us reckon back , sir . At three on the Wednesday afternoon , that bit of the painting was completed . The vehicle dried it in twelve hours -- that is to say , dried it by three o'clock on Thursday morning . At eleven on Thursday morning you held your inquiry here . Take three from eleven , and eight remains . That paint had been _ eight hours dry _ , Mr. Superintendent , when you supposed that the women-servants ' petticoats smeared it . ''