four in the afternoon
He did not stop to play now , for the hungry voices grew louder each minute , and he was in a hurry to get home . Speculations as to whether dinner would be all eaten up crossed his mind . `` But I dess not , '' he said confidently , '' 'cause it is n't very long since morning . '' It was really four in the afternoon , but Archie 's long nap had cheated the time , and he had no idea that it was so late . The path grew wider , and was hedged with barberries and wild roses . The lovely pink of the roses pleased Archie 's eye . He stopped and tugged at a great branch till it broke , then he laid it across his shoulder to carry to Mamma .