nearly one
o'clock
`` Well , let 's try to guess what they 'd be apt to do , '' continued Frank . `` I know what Jerry would have in his mind first of all , if it happened to be anywhere around noon , '' said Will . `` Jerry never forgets when it 's meal time ; and the chances are ten to one he 'd try to make sure they were going to get dinner somewhere . '' `` All right , '' agreed Frank ; `` that might bring them to nearly one o'clock . Afterward they 'd want to get a hustle on them trying to gather up a supply of butter and fresh eggs , according to their orders . Now if they had to go outside the place to get the supplies it would be long after two before they 'd be in shape even to think of starting back to camp . '' `` I see what you 're hitting at , Frank ; you mean they 'd likely enough notice how the inky black clouds were moving up in the sky about that time , because being so close to the big lake they could see all this ; while the woods hid it from us . ''