three o'clock
shouted Fred as loud as he could . And then both stopped to listen , but not a sound could they hear anything like a reply . There was a regular deep humming from the gnats and flies ; the twittering of a few distant birds ; but with these exceptions all was solemn silence . The boys had been out in the woods ever since three o'clock , seeking for eggs for the cabinet , and had been very successful ; but now the sun was setting , and the last rays were turning the sky overhead into one glorious golden canopy ; the forest shades were getting deeper , and as Fred said , he would not have cared only it was so dreadfully quiet , and Harry was lost ; and what was worse than all was , they were lost themselves ; and this is how it fell out : Mr Inglis had been talking about the collection of eggs they had in the little museum , and said he would go with the boys to Beechy Wood , to see if they could get a few more specimens ; for he particularly wanted two or three eggs rather difficult to obtain , such as the great spotted woodpecker 's , hawfinch 's , and coletit 's . `` Oh , do let 's go to-day , Papa , '' said Harry , clapping his hands . `` That will be capital . '' `` Yes , yes , yes , '' said Philip .