nearly one o’clock
Uncle Roger , believing it to be only carelessness instead of ignorance , and too much used to dangerous undertakings of his own boys to have many anxieties on their account , let them go on without further question , and turned off to visit his young wheat without the smallest uneasiness respecting the smash he had predicted , as he had done , by way of warning , at least twenty times before . Busy Bee was in that stage of girlhood which is very sensible on some points , in the midst of great folly upon others , and she was quite wise enough to let Fred alone , to give full attention to his driving all the way to Allonfield . Dumple knew perfectly well what was required of him , and went on at a very steady well-behaved pace , up the hill , across the common , and into the town , where , leaving him at the inn , they walked into the street , and Beatrice , after an infinity of searching , succeeded in obtaining certain grey cotton velvet , which , though Fred asserted that donkeys had a tinge of lilac , was certainly not unfit to represent their colour . As Fred 's finances were in a much more flourishing state since New Year 's day , he proceeded to delight the very heart of Willy by a present of a pair of little brass cannon , on which his longing eyes had often before been fixed , and they then returned to the carriage , in some dismay on perceiving that it was nearly one o'clock . `` We must go straight home , '' said Beatrice , `` or this velvet will be of no use . There is no time to drive to Sutton Leigh and walk from thence . '' Unfortunately , however , there was an influential personage who was by no means willing to consent to this arrangement , namely , Dumple , who , well aware that an inexperienced hand held the reins , was privately determined that his nose should not be turned away from the shortest road to his own stable .