nine o'clock
Very likely he meant to bring one up on the packet that afternoon ; but Betty was disappointed not to find him in the house , and thought that he might have called her to go down on the packet with him . She felt as if she were going to have a long and dull morning . However , she found that Aunt Mary was awake and in a cheerful frame , so she brought her boots in , and sat by the garden window while she put some new buttons on with the delightful little clamps that save so many difficult stitches . Aunt Mary was already dressed , though it was only nine o'clock , and was seated before an open bureau drawer , which her grandniece had learned to recognize as a good sign . Aunt Mary had endless treasures of the past carefully tucked away in little bundles and boxes , and she liked to look these over , and to show them to Betty , and tell their history . She listened with great eagerness to Betty 's account of papa 's departure . `` I was afraid that you would feel tired this morning , '' said the girl , turning a bright face toward her aunt .