About noon
At night they were always so wet that you could not get them off without a boot-jack , and you could hardly do it anyway ; sometimes you got your brother to help you off with them , and then he pulled you all round the room . In the morning they were dry , but just as hard as stone , and you had to soap the heel of your woollen sock -LRB- which your grandmother had knitted for you , or maybe some of your aunts -RRB- before you could get your foot in , and sometimes the ears of the boot that you pulled it on by would give way , and you would have to stamp your foot in and kick the toe against the mop-board . Then you gasped and limped round , with your feet like fire , till you could get out and limber your boots up in some water somewhere . About noon your chilblains began . My boy had his secret longing to be a dandy , and once he was so taken with a little silk hat at the hat-store that he gave his father no peace till he got it for him . But the very first time he wore it the boys made fun of it , and that was enough . After that he wore it several times with streaming tears ; and then he was allowed to lay it aside , and compromise on an unstylish cap of velvet , which he had despised before .