nine o'clock
And the new seriousness in them , the grave and noble sweetness that he read there , made Wolf suddenly feel himself no longer a boy , no longer free , but bound for ever to this exquisite and bewildering child who was a woman , or woman who was a child , sacredly bound to give her the best that there was in him of love and service and protection . She showed him a new Norma , here on the sunshiny sands , one that he was to know better as the days went by . She had always deferred to his wisdom and his understanding , but she seemed to him mysteriously wise this morning -- no longer the old little sister Norma , but a new , sage , keen-eyed woman , toward whom his whole being was flooded with humility and awe and utter , speechless adoration . At nine o'clock , when nurses and children began to come down to the shore , they got to their feet , and wandered in to breakfast . And here , to his delight , she was suddenly the old mad-cap Norma again , healthily eager for ham and eggs and hot coffee , interested in everything , and bewitchingly pretty in whatever position she took . `` I wish we had the old ` bus , Nono , '' Wolf said . He usually spoke of his motor-car by this name .