ten minutes after twelve
o'clock
Hugh had not learned half that he wanted to know , and his little head was full of wonder and mysterious notions , when the holidays came to an end , and Philip had to go away . From that day Hugh was heard to talk less of Spain , and the sea , and desert islands , and more of the Crofton boys ; and his play with little Harry was all of being at school . At his lessons , meantime , he did not improve at all . One very warm day , at the end of August , five weeks after Philip had returned to school , Miss Harold had stayed full ten minutes after twelve o'clock to hear Hugh say one line of the multiplication-table over and over again , to cure him of saying that four times seven is fifty-six ; but all in vain : and Mrs. Proctor had begged her not to spend any more time to-day upon it . Miss Harold went away , the girls took their sewing , and sat down at their mother 's work-table , while Hugh was placed before her , with his hands behind his back , and desired to look his mother full in the face , to begin again with `` four times one is four , '' and go through the line , taking care what he was about . He did so ; but before he came to four times seven , he sighed , fidgetted , looked up at the corners of the room , off into the work-basket , out into the street , and always , as if by a spell , finished with `` four times seven is fifty-six . '' Jane looked up amazed -- Agnes looked down ashamed ; his mother looked with severity in his face .