ten o'clock
`` She wo n't be by herself , she 'll be with _ her _ father and mother ; has it never occurred to you as possible that sometimes we might like our daughter to ourselves ? '' Mary turned an astonished face towards her grandfather , exclaiming emphatically , `` No , Ganpy , it certainly never has ... before . '' Grannie was writing letters . Grandfather had gone into London to the War Office , and it was only ten o'clock . Grannie was safe for an hour or two , for she was sending out notices about something , and that always took a long time . Ger was rather at a loose end , but with the admirable spirit of the adventurous for making the best of things , he decided to go forth and see what he could see . No one was in the hall to question him as he went out , and he made straight for the common , where something exciting was always toward .