eight o'clock
No serious quarrel had ever vexed the serenity of the party ; and , now that each had sixteen hundred dollars to show for a short summer 's work , there reigned the well-fed , contented spirit of prosperity . And then the unexpected happened . They had just sat down to the breakfast table . Though it was already eight o'clock -LRB- late breakfasts had followed naturally upon cessation of the steady work at mining -RRB- a candle in the neck of a bottle lighted the meal . Edith and Hans sat at each end of the table . On one side , with their backs to the door , sat Harkey and Dutchy . The place on the other side was vacant .