nearly four o'clock
He was wedged in between his mother and the window-sill , and studying earth and sky as absorbedly as she . `` Out to-morrow , sweetheart , '' his mother promised . And she wondered if it was too late to take the babies out to-day . But it was nearly four o'clock now ; even the briefest airing was out of the question . By the time the baby was dressed , coated , and hooded , and little Diego buttoned into gaiters and reefer , and Anne herself had changed her house gown for street wear , and pinned on her hat and veil , and Helma , summoned from her ironing , had bumped Virginia 's coach down the back porch steps , and around the wet garden path to the front door , -- by the time all this was accomplished , the short winter daylight would be almost gone , she knew , and the crowded hour that began with the children 's baths , and that ended their little day with bread-and-milky kisses to Daddy when he came in , and prayers , and cribs , would have arrived . Anne sighed . She would have been glad to get out into the cool winter afternoon , herself , after a long , quiet day in the warm house .