a quarter past ten
I did n't want to much , but I did n't know what to tell Maria , so I went . You know how poor they are , and how aunt Izzie used to say that they were ` touchy , ' so I thought I would take great care not to hurry home right after tea , for fear they would think I was n't having a good time . So I waited , and waited , and waited , and got so sleepy that I had to pinch my fingers to keep awake . At last I was sure that it must be almost nine , so I asked Mr. Avery if he 'd please take me home ; and do n't you believe , when we got there , it was a quarter past ten , and papa was coming for me ! Dorry said he guessed I must be enjoying myself to stay so late . I did n't tell anybody about it for three days , because I knew they 'd laugh at me , and they did . Was n't it funny ?