eight o'clock
She began to tell him about going to California , to Grandfather 's house . Later she put the orange , the apple , the gun , with a triangle puzzle given away at the drug store , a paper cow from the dairy , and five cents ' worth of pressed figs , into the little dangling stocking , placed the book beside it , and hung the candy cane over all . Mrs. Converse , the doctor 's wife , had sent a big flannel duck , obviously second-hand , but none the less wonderful for that , for Margar ; Teddy had not seen it , so it would be one more Christmas touch ! And at eight o'clock , as she was putting her kitchen in order , a tired driver appeared , clumsily engineering something through the narrow hall ; a great coaster , its brave red and gold showing through the flimsy , snow-wet wrappings . `` Teddy from Dad , '' Martie , bewildered , read on the card . Not to the excited child himself would it bring the joy it gave his mother . Poor Wallace -- always generous !