four o'clock
Suitable companionship would be a great advantage to her in this regard , and he fancied that Cicely Drane would be as congenial and helpful a chum , and Mrs. Drane as unobjectionable a matronly adviser , as could be found . If the plan suited all concerned , it might perhaps be continued beyond the summer . He would see Ralph as soon as possible . Having received permission to stop work at four o'clock on a beautiful summer afternoon , Cicely Drane put away her papers and walked rapidly home . She found her mother on Mrs. Brinkly 's front piazza , fanning herself vigorously and watching some children , who , on the other side of the narrow street , were feeding a tethered goat with clippings from a newspaper . After a few words to explain her early return , Cicely went up to her own room , and took from a drawer a little pocketbook , and opening it , examined the money contained therein . Apparently satisfied with the result , she went downstairs , wallet in hand .