nine o'clock
With his heart thumping like the heart of any love-sick school girl , he reached out and grabbed what he supposed was Cornelia 's letter . But it was post-marked , `` Boston '' ; and the handwriting was quite plainly the handwriting of The Serial-Letter Co. . Muttering an exclamation that was not altogether pretty he threw the letter as far as he could throw it out into the middle of the floor , and turning back to his supper began to crunch his toast furiously like a dragon crunching bones . At nine o'clock he was still awake . At ten o'clock he was still awake . At eleven o'clock he was still awake . At twelve o'clock he was still awake ... .