midnight before
Fred Larkin had some little aptitude for medicine and surgery -- so they all said , at least -- and he set the broken leg and put splints upon it . Then they put the little creature in one of the calf pens , fed it liberally , and Fred declared that in ten days it would be well enough to hop around . The little Larkin folk were delighted with the lamb for a pet , so Ruth knew that she could safely trust her protégé to them . There was great fun that night , for the neighboring young folk were invited to meet the trio from Cheslow and the Red Mill , and it was midnight before the girls and boys were still . Therefore , there was no early start made for the second day 's run . Breakfast was late , and it was half-past nine before Tom started the car , and they left Littletop amid the cheers and good wishes of their friends . `` We must hustle , if we want to get to Uncle Ike 's before dark , '' Tom declared .