ten o'clock
It was , as we have said , a lovely September morning , and all the members of the picnic party were in high spirits . An omnibus had been hired expressly for the occasion . Mark sat by the driver , and acted as presiding genius . The common meeting-place was an old oak , above a mile out of the town , and thither by ten o'clock all the providers and their provisions had made their way . No one could look more bright than Mark Rothwell , no one more peacefully lovely than Mary Franklin . All being seated , off they started at an uproarious signal from Mark . Away they went , along level road , through pebbly lane , its banks gorgeous with foxgloves and fragrant with honeysuckles , over wild heath , and then up grassy slopes .