nine o'clock
Day by day the children became more unruly ; Sunday they were demons ; and Mrs. Farren shuddered to think what Monday might bring forth . The day began ominously at breakfast with general target practice , ammunition consisting of projectiles pinched from the interior of hot muffins . Later , when Mrs. Farren ventured into the schoolroom , she found Scott Seagrave drawing injurious pictures of Howker on the black-board , and Geraldine sorting lumps of sugar from the bowl on the breakfast-tray , which had not yet been removed . `` Dearies , '' she began , `` it is after nine o'clock and -- '' `` No school to-day , Mrs. Farren , '' interrupted Scott cheerfully ; `` we have n't anything to do till Kathleen comes back , and you know it perfectly well ! '' `` Yes , you have , dearie ; Mrs. Severn has just sent you this list of lessons . '' She held out a black-edged envelope . Geraldine , who had been leisurely occupied in dropping cologne on a lump of sugar , thrust the lump into her pink mouth and turned sharply on Mrs. Farren .