four o'clock
Later on in the day a fire was made here to boil the kettle for tea , but until then the children were free to roam about and do as they liked . As Jackie had said , Fraulein was anxious to make a sketch of the old house , and after dinner was over and she had a little recovered from her fatigue she planted her camp-stool conveniently and set to work . The children knew now that neither she nor Rice would be `` in the way '' that afternoon ; they were both comfortably settled and would not be likely to stir for hours . But it was almost too hot to play , and the games went on languidly until four o'clock , when it began to get cooler , and there were pleasant shadows round about . `` We ought to begin to pick up wood , '' said the careful Agatha , `` or the fire wo n't be ready for tea-time . '' `` Well , we 'll just have one game of hide-and-seek first , '' said Jackie ; and so it was agreed . Agatha hid first , but she was soon found , for she was not fond of venturing far into the dark corners round Maskells ; then it was Jackie 's turn , and then it came to Mary .