a quarter before one
It is not needful to explain every thing , any more than it was for me to tell the miller about my golden eagle , and how I had managed to lose it in the Moon -- a trick of which now I was heartily ashamed , in the face of honest kindness . So I need not tell how Master Withypool managed to settle with his men , and to keep the boys unwitting of what was about to come to pass . Enough that I got a note from him to tell me that the little river would be run out , just when all Shoxford was intent upon its dinner , on the second day after I had seen him . And he could not say for certain , but thought it pretty safe , that nobody would come near me , if I managed to be there at a quarter before one , when the stream would begin to run dry , and I could watch it . I sent back a line by the pretty little girl , a sister of poor Polly , to say how much I thanked him , and how much I hoped that he himself would meet me there , if his time allowed . For he had been too delicate to say a word of that ; but I felt that he had a good right to be there , and , knowing him now , I was not afraid . Nearly every thing came about as well as could be wished almost .