about half past five
So I began firing away certain home-made arrows , to which my mother 's loving fingers had carefully fastened feathers ; putting up a flower-pot on a stand as a mark , and trying to hit it . But the arrows did not go very far after all , and I leant down upon the bow and tightened the string , and then tightened it again , until there was a sudden snap , and a collapse -- it had broken in two pieces ! I threw the bow aside in disgust , and went off into the shrubbery , and then down the carriage drive , hoping to meet my mother ; but she happened to be detained that afternoon at one of the cottages where she was visiting , and missed her usual time for returning . Feeling very dreary and disconsolate , I finally wandered back again into the house , and hung about in the different rooms in a listless , dissatisfied mood , until , at about half past five , I could hear the rapid tread of horses ' feet , and in another moment my father and Aleck cantered up to the door . Frisk was flourishing about in his usual style , and found me out in a moment , jumping up upon my shoulders , and licking my hands , and expressing in perfectly comprehensible language his regret that I had not been of the party , and his pleasure in seeing me again . Aleck was in a high state of spirits , triumphant at having proved himself sufficient of a horseman to manage the gray , and delighted with all the incidents of the expedition . He did not know the reason of my having stayed at home ; but told me how sorry he was I had not been with them , and tumultuously recounted the various pleasures he had enjoyed .