"on june 3rd, that is, on monday last, mccarthy left his house at hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the boscombe pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out of the stream which runs down the boscombe valley. he had been out with his serving-man in the morning at ross, and he had told the man that he must hurry, as he had an appointment of importance to keep at three.