eight o'clock
`` Dot ish so , but I dinks dot I leafes her go mit you to Dunbarton , if she can shpare her moder . '' Mr. Ribsam meant all right , and when his wishes were made known to Nellie she was delighted ; her mother was glad to give her the privilege of an excursion , for she was an industrious little girl , and , furthermore , there were some purchases to be made both for the mother and daughter , which Nellie could attend to better than could any boy , no matter how intelligent . The famous `` dark day '' of 1881 prevailed principally in New England and the State of New York ; but it was noticed further south , especially in some of the wooded portions of Pennsylvania , though in the larger part of the commonwealth it attracted no great attention . It was between seven and eight o'clock when the four-wheeled carriage with the single seat , and which vehicle is known as a `` fall top '' in some sections of the country , was driven from the humble home of the Ribsams , with the brother and sister seated in it . As they approached the scene of Nellie 's adventure with the bear , they naturally talked about it , while Nick again related his own thrilling experience , when the animal was shot by Mrs. Fowler , just in the nick of time . Shark Creek had suffered so much from the long continued drought that it was no more than one fourth its usual volume ; but the pond below was not much diminished in size , as it did not flow off except when at a certain height . The brother and sister did not speak of the peculiar appearance of the atmosphere until nearly to the bridge .