six o'clock
_ -- _ Daniel ! _ '' -- it was their father 's voice this time , and the two children jumped guiltily and began to dress as if the house were on fire and they had but two minutes to escape . In a surprisingly short time they were downstairs and attending to their morning tasks . Nancy , looking very solemn , fed the chickens , and Dan brought water from the spring , while their father milked the cow ; and by six o'clock their breakfast of hasty pudding and milk had been eaten , prayers were over , and the whole family was ready for the real work of the day . There was a great deal of it to do , for nothing but `` works of necessity and mercy '' could be performed on the Sabbath , the Sabbath began at sundown Saturday afternoon , and the travellers were to make an early start on Monday morning . A fire was built in the brick oven beside the fireplace , and while it was heating the Goodwife made four pies and six loaves of brown-bread , and prepared a pot of pork and beans for baking . -LSB- Illustration -RSB- When the coals had been raked out and the oven filled , she washed clothes for Daniel and his father , while Nancy hurried to finish a pair of stockings she was knitting for her brother .