Eleven o'clock
But they wo n't obey me , though I scold them ever so -- and no wonder , with mother always ready to take their part , and tell me not to be hard on them ! Of course , they go away and forget everything directly . If mother would only leave them to me , I 'd _ make _ them mind ! `` Eleven o'clock striking , and mother has n't been down to the kitchen to arrange about the dinner yet ! There 'll be nothing ready for the children again when they come in from school ; and Clara will just muddle through her work as usual . Oh , dear , how sick I am of the whole thing ! `` If I could only live with Grannie -- or even go out all day , and earn my living like other girls .