three a.m.
The sun was hotly shining on their bright attire and on the still turbulent waves . Ruth , thirsty after a breakfast of herrings and bacon , was sucking iced lemonade up a straw . Nellie was eating chocolate , undistributed remains of the night 's benevolence . Denry was yawning , not in the least because the proceedings failed to excite his keen interest , but because he had been a journalist till three a.m. and had risen at six in order to despatch a communication to the editor of the _ Staffordshire Signal _ by train . The girls were very playful . Nellie dropped a piece of chocolate into Ruth 's glass , and Ruth fished it out , and bit at it . `` What a jolly taste ! ''