nine o'clock
Bear him across the rainbow bridge , and lull him to rest with the soft plash of waves and sighing of branches ! Cover him with thy mantle of dreams , sweet goddess , and give him in sleep what he hath never had in waking ! Meanwhile , a more dramatic scene was being enacted at the White Farm . It was nine o'clock , and Samantha had gone from pond to garden , shed to barn , and gate to dairy , a dozen times , but there was no sign of Timothy . Gay had refused to be undressed till `` Timfy '' appeared on the premises , but had fallen asleep in spite of the most valiant resolution , and was borne upstairs by Samantha , who made her ready for bed without waking her . As she picked up the heap of clothes to lay them neatly on a chair , a bit of folded paper fell from the bosom of the little dress . She glanced at it , turned it over and over , read it quite through .