nine o'clock
`` But if dear Aunt Patience will only lift her anchor all will yet be well , and the dear twins will not need to be bothered with anything so beastly as farm-work . '' His tone and manner were so like the twins that Evelyn applauded his efforts . Then he told her the story of the cow , and of how the twins , endeavoring to follow the example of some of the Canadians whom they had seen locking their wagon-wheels with a chain when going down the Souris hill , had made a slight mistake in the location of the chain and hobbled the oxen , with disastrous results . When he looked at his watch it was nine o'clock . `` I must go , '' he said , hastily rising ; `` it would hardly do for me to be found here ! '' `` What do you mean ? '' she asked in surprise .