six o'clock
At last the sun came out boldly above the hill , and the hollows were flooded with light . In the centre of the field the boy 's head glowed like some large red insect . A hawk , winging slowly above him , looked down as if uncertain of his species , and fluttered off indifferently . At six o'clock his stepmother came to the back door and called him to breakfast . When the meal was over Amos Burr went out to the field , and Nicholas was sent to drive the sheep to the pasture . With vigorous wavings of a piece of brushwood , and many darts from right to left , he succeeded finally in driving them across the road and through the gate on the opposite side , after which he returned to assist his stepmother about the house . Not until nine o'clock , when he had seen the Battle children going up the road , was he free to set off at a run for Kingsborough .