four in the morning
When I were quite a little chap , I took some big yaller plums once , out of one of the punnits father was a-packin ' for market , and I eat 'em . I do n't know to this hour wot made me take them plums ; but I remember they were such prime big uns , big as eggs they was , and like lumps of gold , with a sort of blue shade over 'em . Father were very partikler about not ` avin ' the fruit ` andled and takin ' the bloom off , and told me to cover 'em well with leaves . It was a broilin ' ` ot day , and I was tired , ` avin ' been stoopin ' over the baskits since four in the morning , and as I put the leaves over the plums I touched 'em ; they felt so lovely and cool , and looked so juicy-like , I felt I must eat one , and I did ; there was just six on 'em , and when I 'd bin and eat one , there seemed such a empty place left in the punnit , that I knew father 'd be sure to see it , so I eat 'em all , and then threw the punnit to one side . Just then , father comes up and says , `` Count them punnits , Dick ! there ought to be forty on 'em . Twenty picked large for Mr. Moses , and twenty usuals for Marts ! ''