six o'clock
Patty unlocked her box , and set to work to arrange her various possessions , placing the photo of the family group , which had been a parting present from home , in a prominent position , and trying to stifle the longing to see all the dear , familiar faces again . The nightdress case , which she had thought so beautiful when she was packing , looked quite plain and ordinary by the side of the three elaborately worked ones on the other beds . She had certainly nothing so dainty as the pale-pink , quilted silk dressing-gown that she could see hanging on a peg behind the door , nor did she possess cut-glass scent bottles , such as stood on the dressing-table in the cubicle opposite ; nevertheless Patty put her things away with a certain pride of ownership , and when all was neatly finished , glanced round her new quarters with much satisfaction . It was scarcely six o'clock , and supper was not until seven , so she decided to go downstairs again on the chance of finding Muriel , who by this time must surely have finished her own unpacking . She waited in the hall for a few minutes , not quite knowing what to do , until a mistress , hurrying by , noticed her standing there , and directed her to the recreation room . Here a number of girls appeared to be collected : a pair of bosom friends occupied one window , and five pigtails in close proximity took up another ; by the empty fire grate a group of four stood talking photography with a short fat girl in spectacles , seated on the edge of the table ; while others were continually passing in and out to announce their own arrival , or to search for absent companions . Several glanced at Patty , but nobody spoke to her , or paid any particular attention , so she walked over to the sofa , and taking a book which she found there , sat idly turning the pages without reading them , and feeling very uncomfortable and extremely homesick .