nine o'clock
By mutual consent nothing binding was ever implied in this form of acrobatic sentiment and the knell was sounded when either party paused for breath . When a rush began all bystanders withdrew as a matter of etiquette and waited for the dust to subside , much as , in the Simian days of the race , the lesser monkeys sat on a branch and hugged themselves when the big monk came courting . Skippy borrowed a bicycle and departed from the home of his chum directly after breakfast , having likewise borrowed various brilliant bits of manly luxury which flashed from his ankles , his neck and his breast pocket . At exactly nine o'clock as though by accident Miss Vivi 's trim figure daintily balanced on the smartest of `` Safety '' bicycles appeared from the Balou driveway and the following brilliant opening occurred . `` Why , Jack . What are you doing up so early ? '' `` Ca n't you guess ? ''