nine o'clock
Edith did not desire their company , but she did not say so ; and they all went out very silent for them . On their road to the beach they met a man who had a cage of canaries to sell , the very things that Fred had desired so long , and to purchase which he had saved his money . Edith had no taste for noisy canaries ; few great talkers have , for they do interrupt conversation must undeniably , but Fred thought it would be most delightful to have them , and as he had a breeding cage which had belonged to one of his elder sisters years before , he asked the price and began to make his bargain . The birds were bought and the man dispatched to the house with them , with orders to call for payment at nine o'clock , before Fred remembered that he did not exactly know where he should keep them . In the sitting room it would be quite out of the question he knew , for the noise would distract his mother . Papa was not likely to admit canaries into his study for consultations ; and Fred knew only of one likely or possible place , but the door to that was closed , unless he could find a door to Edith 's heart , and he had just quarrelled with Edith ; what a pity ! To make it up with her , however , just to gain his point , he was too proud to do , and was therefore gloomy and uncivil .