two o'clock
This happened quite often , as , in his double capacity as preacher as well as teacher , the kindly old man had various calls upon his time ; some of them taking him so far into the mountains that he was obliged to be gone for days at a time . Meg had a charming way , quite her own , of teaching , with story and word pictures . Even the master had to concede that she was more fitted by nature than he was to instruct the child mind . At two o'clock , when the young teacher dismissed her class , they flocked about her as she crossed the road to the inn . The tallest among her pupils , a rancher 's daughter , who was indeed as old as Meg , put an arm lovingly about her as she said , `` When yer through with yer schoolin ' , do n't I hope yo 'll come back to Redfords an ' be our teacher . '' The mountain girl laughed . `` Why , Ann Skittle ! ''