a quarter after nine
She said that was just a quarter to ten . '' `` She 's sure of that , is she ? '' demanded Tom . `` Yes , '' replied Carl , `` because the grocer 's boy always comes along at just a quarter after nine for his orders , and he had been gone more than twenty minutes . '' At that the other boy stopped still and looked fixedly at Carl . `` That grocer 's boy is a fellow by the name of Dock Phillips , is n't he ? '' was what Tom asked , as though with a purpose .