Three o'clock
The children slept in attitudes of youthful abandonment ; Harriet heard Fred and Linda murmuring steadily , and could imagine of what they spoke ; little Nammy awakened , and there was an interval of maternal comforting , and then silence . At about two o'clock the wind streamed mercifully in , hot and thick , but prophetic of rain , and Harriet , wandering about to make windows fast , encountered Linda , on the same errand . When the worst of the crackling and flashing was over , the girl glanced at her watch again . Three o'clock , but she could sleep now . She sank deeply into dreams , not to stir until Linda 's alarm clock , hastily smothered , thrilled at seven , and the small girls rose with cheerful noise , to let streams of hot sunshine upon her face . Her head ached ; she brushed Julia 's hair as a sort of bribe for turning the small girl out of the bathroom , and was in the tub when Pip hammered on the door for his turn . Linda was in a whirl of blue smoke in the kitchen ; Fred shouted a request for a little more hot water ; Josephine set the table with languid grace , entertaining her aunt with a description of `` Robin Hood . ''