one o'clock
Even Janie Henderson , whose retiring disposition involved her in few disputes with her schoolfellows , found a cause for complaint . It was one of the ordinary regulations that the girls should each take the office of warden for a week in turn , the duties being to give out any necessary books , clean the blackboard , distribute fresh pens and blotting-paper , and collect any articles that might be left in the room after lesson hours . By general custom all pencils , india-rubbers , or other stray possessions were put into what was known as the forfeit tray , whence their owners might reclaim them by paying the penalty of the loss of an order mark . Each girl had her pencil-box , in which she was expected to keep her own property ; but many things were usually left lying about , and the warden always made a careful search at one o'clock . The most cherished object in Janie 's desk was a little , pearl-handled penknife , which she greatly valued . She guarded it zealously , lending it as seldom as she could , and taking good care that it was always returned to her immediately . One unfortunate day , however , she had been sharpening her pencil at the close of the arithmetic lesson , and in the preoccupation of correcting her answers she laid her treasure down , and forgot all about it .