five o'clock, an hour later
They all went into the dark , warm house ; the bright moon shone upon it steadily all night , and the lilac flowers were shaken by no breath of wind until the early dawn . The Hiltons always waked early . So did their neighbors , the crows and song-sparrows and robins , the light-footed foxes and squirrels in the woods . When John Hilton waked , before five o'clock , an hour later than usual because he had sat up so late , he opened the house door and came out into the yard , crossing the short green turf hurriedly as if the day were too far spent for any loitering . The magnitude of the plan for taking a whole day of pleasure confronted him seriously , but the weather was fair , and his wife , whose disapproval could not have been set aside , had accepted and even smiled upon the great project . It was inevitable now , that he and the children should go to Topham Corners . Mrs. Hilton had the pleasure of waking them , and telling the news .