four in the morning
He could not read nor write , and did not care to do either ; and he never washed himself , for there was no water up the court where he lived . Chimney-sweeping and hunger and beatings , he took all for the way of the world , and when his master let him have a pull at the leavings of his beer Tom was the jolliest boy in the whole town . One day , Tom 's master , Mr. Grimes , was sent for to sweep all the chimneys at Sir John Harthover 's mansion , Harthover Place . At four in the morning they passed through the silent town together and along the peaceful country roads to Sir John 's , Mr. Grimes riding the donkey in front and Tom and the brushes walking behind . On the way they came up with an old Irishwoman , limping slowly along and carrying a heavy bundle . She walked along with Tom and asked him many questions about himself , and seemed very sad when he told her that he knew no prayers to say . She told him that she lived far away by the sea ; and , how the sea rolled and roared on winter nights and lay still in the bright summer days , for the children to bathe and play in it ; and many a story more till Tom longed to go and see the sea and bathe in it likewise .