quarter to five
Though of course it was much better fun for them than for us , because we had just to be mutes when we were n't playing on the combs . The people we told fortunes to at first laughed rather , and said we were too young to know anything . But Oswald said in a hollow voice that we were as old as the Pyramids , and after that Alice took the tucks out of Dicky 's red coat and put it on and turbaned herself , and looked much older . The stable clock had chimed the quarter to five some little time , when an elderly gentleman with whiskers , who afterwards proved to be Sir Willoughby , burst into the tent . `` Where 's Miss Blockson ? '' he said , and we answered truthfully that we did not know . `` How long have you been here ? ''