about eleven o'clock
On the first Saturday after the beginning of the term , Miss Beach announced that she was going to spend the day with a friend who lived five miles out of Seaton , and that if Winona had leisure to accompany her she would be pleased to take her . No practices had been arranged for that afternoon , so Winona felt free to accept the invitation . She had been for several short runs in the car , but for no long expedition since the memorable outing to Wickborough , so the prospect of a day in the country was alluring . They started at about eleven o'clock , and took a road that was new to Winona , consequently all the more interesting . Their way led through lovely woods , at present a sheet of blue hyacinths , the hedges were a filmy dream of blackthorn blossom , while the swallows wheeling and flashing in the sunshine testified to the return of summer . Miss Carson , the lady whom they were going to visit , like most of Aunt Harriet 's friends was engaged in very interesting work . She had taken a small holding , and with the help of a few women pupils was running it as a fruit , flower and poultry farm .