five o’clock in the afternoon
But he could n't help wishing that he were at home , playing with the members of the Hut Club . `` Those boys are much better off than I am , '' he said , over and over , `` though they have made no effort to improve themselves . '' After a time , however , his ambition returned , and as he looked ahead into the future , and remembered the wonderful things he was going to accomplish , he felt more like working . He finished the field at five o'clock in the afternoon , and was almost fainting from hunger and from the hard work . The ploughing was fairly well done , but Hiram Tinch could see no merit in the work . He swore at Archie again , and gave him a supper of mush and milk . Mrs. Tinch sat by , and Archie could see that she did not approve of his treatment .