ten o'clock
Noddy was neither a logician nor a philosopher ; and therefore he was utterly unable to account for the origin of the fire . In vain he wasted his intellectual powers in speculations ; in vain he tried to remember some exciting cause to which the calamity could be traced . Meanwhile , Miss Fanny was deliberating quite as diligently over another question ; for she apparently regarded the destruction of the boat-house as a small affair , and did not concern herself to know how it had been caused . But she was very anxious to reach Whitestone before ten o'clock , and her rebellious boatman had intimated his intention not to carry out his part of the agreement . `` What are you thinking about , Noddy ? '' asked she , when both had maintained silence for the full space of three minutes , which was a longer period than either of them had ever before kept still while awake . `` I was thinking of that fire , '' replied Noddy , removing his gaze from the burning building , and fixing it upon her .