nine o'clock
As time went on the lofty ideals with which the girls had started gradually diminished in fervor . At first they had planned to make the ice-cream and cake , but later they accepted with a gratitude that was almost pathetic Mrs. Hamilton 's offer to take upon her own shoulders the duty of providing both of these necessities . In spite of all this assistance , however , the week before the performance passed in a mad whirl of rehearsals and preparation of costumes , topped off on the very day before by the making of candy and the doing of innumerable last things . Even at nine o'clock on Tuesday evening Ruth and Arthur were still at work packing into paper boxes the crisp wafers which Ruth had engaged Mrs. Perrier to make for her . `` Fifteen , seventeen , nineteen , '' murmured Ruth . `` Oh , dear , I 'm so tired and sleepy I do n't know whether there are twenty-five or twenty-four in two dozen . '' `` Go to bed then , '' laughed Arthur , `` and I 'll finish .