six
o'clock
Moses , unaccustomed to getting up at half-past three in the morning , never opened his eyes until the church clock struck five . Then he started upright , rubbed and rubbed at his sleepy orbs , tumbled into his clothes , and , softly opening the cottage door , set off on his errand . The fact of his being nearly an hour and a half late did not trouble him in the least . In any case , he would get to Lavender House before six o'clock , and would have consumed his cherries in less than an hour from that date . Moses sauntered gaily along the roads , whistling as he went , and occasionally tossing his battered cap in the air . He often lingered on his way , now to cut down a particularly tempting switch from the hedge , now to hunt for a possible bird 's nest . It was very nearly six o'clock when he reached the back avenue , swung himself over the gate , which was locked , and ran softly on the dewy grass in the direction of the laurel bush .