one
o'clock
Flounders , tom-cod , and eels , to say nothing of an occasional sculpin , which boys still persist in calling `` crahpies , '' or `` crahooners , '' used to furnish abundant sport to a motley group of youngsters wherein the sons of merchants mingled democratically with the dirty , ragged children of the `` Ten-footers '' in the vicinity . The pier was neutral ground , and Frederic Augustus made a friend of Michael or Dennis , and probably neither was much damaged by this free companionship ; for Michael or Dennis often proves to be more of a gentleman in his rags and dirty face than Frederic Augustus in his broadcloth and white linen . Katy walked as fast as her little feet would carry her , till she came to a court leading out of Essex Street . The bells were ringing for one o'clock as she entered the grocery at the corner and purchased the two-cent roll which Tommy Howard 's bounty enabled her to add to her feast . Elated with the success of her mission , she quickened her pace up the court to a run , rushed into the house and up-stairs to her mother 's room with as much enthusiasm as though she had found a bag of gold , instead of having obtained a very simple dinner . `` O , mother , I 've got a lot of flounders and some bread for you ! '' exclaimed she , as she bolted into the room .