three o'clock
For a moment Ruth was tempted to tell her mother the whole story of her visit to General Howe ; but she resisted the impulse . `` It would spoil everything to make Mother feel bad the very day she has come home , '' the little girl assured herself ; but she no longer felt light-hearted , and when her mother patted Hero 's head , and said that she knew he had taken good care of everything in her absence , Ruth grew even more serious . Aunt Deborah was very quiet ; but now and then her eyes rested on Ruth a little questioningly . `` I suppose Aunt Deborah is thinking I ought to tell Mother , '' thought Ruth , and was glad to hurry away as soon as they finished dinner , saying she must be in good season , as Gilbert had set three o'clock as the hour for the arrival of his audience . `` You must come in through the alley , '' Ruth reminded her mother and aunt ; for Gilbert had decided that the guests were to be a part of the surprise for his mother . Gilbert was arranging seats for the company just inside the door of the stable behind a rope stretched from the front to the door of Fluff 's stall . On the previous day the children had made an excursion to Fair Mount , and had brought home a quantity of blossoming boughs of the white dogwood , branches of pine , and of flowering elder , and these were used to make a background for the seats intended for the guests , to hide a part of the grain-bin , from which Lady Washington was to wave , and made the stable a very attractive and pleasant place .