ten o'clock
Mr. Patterson was half-sick and wholly miserable all the way . He lay pale and silent in his steamer chair , trying to rouse himself now and then to talk with Pat about subjects of schoolboy interest . But it was an effort and Pat felt it so ; after a few restless minutes , he was apt to say : -- `` Excuse me , father , I 've thought of something I want to tell Anne . '' `` Please tell me when it 's ten o'clock , father ; Anne and I are to play ring-toss . '' `` Anne has been telling a ripping story . I 'll go and hear some more of it , if you do n't mind . '' Mr. Patterson did mind .