About ten o'clock
When the foreman understood the situation , he turned to Trofast to praise him . But Trofast had already gone home ; the position was quite too uncomfortable for _ him _ . They gathered her up , such as she was , wet and loathsome , and the foreman decided that she should be placed upon the first coal-cart going into town , and that they could stop at the hospital , so that the professor himself might see whether she was worth repairing . * * * * * About ten o'clock the merchant 's family began to assemble at the breakfast-table . Thyra came first . She hurried up to Trofast , patted and kissed him , and overwhelmed him with words of endearment . But Trofast did not move his tail , and scarcely raised his eyes .