six o'clock
Veronica was in bed , sound asleep , her long lashes sweeping her ruddy cheek , her lips curved in a smile , like a baby 's . Her clothes were on the chair beside the bed , and they did not look as if they had been disturbed in the night . Sahwah laughed in relief and the fear went out of her heart . `` I dreamed it , '' she said to herself , and went back to bed for another nap before six o'clock , which was the official rising hour at Carver House . `` M-a-r-r-k t-i-m-e , m-a-h-k ! '' Sixteen pairs of feet rose and fell with a soft thudding rhythm on the hard dirt road . `` One -- two -- three -- four !