a
quarter to eleven
`` Look at all the other hens that did go in , '' she said , as she tied the bows in her own hair . `` I do n't see the sense of taking that crazy old ike of a hen 's word for it against all the other hens that have gone in . She 's a mournful old thing , and is staying out to make the other ones feel bad , or else she do n't know enough to go in . Hurry up , Mary , and get all that stuff in ; it 's a quarter to eleven now , and we 've got Tommy to do yet when he 's done with the boots . It 's none of our business whether it rains now or not . We 're not wantin ' to go just now . '' `` Pearlie , dear , '' her mother said , `` you 're raisin ' too many hopes in them . ''