twelve o'clock
And such a nice dinner as it was , too ! Cook had arranged it as a surprise for them , because they were all by themselves , knowing how much they enjoyed roast fowl , stewed apples and cream . Now the fowl would be dried to a cinder , the potatoes moist and sodden , the apples cold as charity ! They must have again disobeyed orders and gone away to the farm , nurse concluded , when twelve o'clock , one o'clock , two o'clock passed , and still no sign of the little ones . They would be well stuffed up there , she was sure , and quite safe ; only it was really too bad of Master Darby to steal off that way without leave , and drag his little sister along with him . He should have nothing but dry bread for his tea , Perry decided . Then with a glance at the bassinet , where baby was soundly sleeping away some of his fretfulness , and a careful adjustment of the fire-guard on the nursery grate , nurse stole downstairs to get her own dinner , which , like the children 's , would be none the better for waiting so long past the usual time .