Ten o'clock
Peggy lit the candle and after some search discovered a swollen mosquito , perched on the head of Dorothy 's bed , ready to resume operations at the first opportunity . Gluttony had lessened his natural agility , and at Peggy 's avenging hand he paid the penalty of his crime . Peggy lingered to correct Dorothy 's misapprehension , and then went down-stairs , to find another blood-curdling tale in progress , and the girls sitting breathless , while the firelight threw fantastic shapes upon the wall , and the shadows looked startlingly black by contrast . Ten o'clock was the sensible bedtime decided on in Dolittle Cottage , but on this occasion the big clock chimed ten unheeded . Apparently Aunt Abigail 's repertoire was far from being exhausted . She had rung the changes on all the familiar horrors in a dozen stories , and yet no one seemed willing to have her stop . It was quarter of eleven when Peggy remarked reluctantly : `` Girls , if we 're going to get up any time to-morrow , we 'd better-be going to bed . ''