half
past six
They stood on the platform and watched the train out of sight and then turned and climbed up the steps to the street , silent for the most part , with only an occasional exclamation of `` What _ will _ Nyoda do if Sherry dies ? '' Then another swift drive through the silent streets , scarcely any lighter than they had been before , and they were back at Carver House , which suddenly seemed empty and dreary with Nyoda gone . They sat down to the table and ate up the rest of the toast and drank the rest of the coffee ; then the boys started back to their tent in the woods , and the Winnebagos , beginning to feel weak and shaky now that the excitement of getting Nyoda ready had passed , went slowly and sadly up the stairs and crept into bed . Thoroughly worn out with the strenuous evening and the still more strenuous night that followed it , they finally fell asleep , while the sun rose unwelcomed over Carver Hill and the stair clock chimed half past six in vain . Sahwah wakened with the sound of a bell ringing in her ears . The house was still asleep ; the sun was pouring in brightly through the south window of the room . Sahwah wondered idly why the sun was shining in at that window ; it always shone in the other window when she wakened in the morning .