five o'clock
At its conclusion , the teacher said to the pupils that if they were studious and transgressed no rules , he would be glad to tell them another story the next day , if they would remain a few minutes after the hour of dismissal . The treat was such a rare one that all the girls and most of the boys resolved to earn the right to enjoy it . `` I 'm going to hear the yarn , too , '' muttered Tom Britt , `` for he knows how to tell 'em , but as for behaving myself that depends . '' On the following afternoon , when five o'clock arrived -LRB- in those days most of the country schools opened at eight and closed at five , with an hour at noon , and not more than two weeks vacation in summer . I have attended school on more than one Saturday , Fourth of July and Christmas -RRB- , the school was all expectation . When Mr. Lathrop saw the bright eyes turned eagerly toward him , a thrill of pleasure stirred his heart , for he felt that his was the hand to sow good seed , or this was the soil where it could be made to spring up and bear fruit a hundred fold . `` I am glad , '' said he , in his winning voice , `` to know that you have done well and earned the right to hear the best story that I can tell .