nearly ten o'clock
It must be very late , she knew . Little Flyaway , who had been chasing the cat , ran to meet her , looking very joyful because her cousin had overslept herself . `` It 's half past o'clock , '' said she , clapping her little hands ; `` half past o'clock , Dotty Dimple ! '' Dotty felt quite ashamed , but her grandmother assured her that although it was nearly ten o'clock , she was perfectly excusable . She seated her in an easy chair , and gave her a cracker to nibble ; for Dotty said she was not hungry , and did not care for breakfast . There was one thought uppermost in the little girl 's mind : she must ask her grandmother 's forgiveness . Some children might not have seen the necessity , but Dotty had been well instructed at home ; she knew this good , kind grandmamma was deserving of the highest respect , and if any of her grandchildren disobeyed her , they could do no less than acknowledge their fault .