ten o'clock
Better take advantage of my good mood while it lasts . '' Trix departed obediently , and returned with a pile of books , which she dropped upon the table with a bang , which made the other occupants of the room start in their seats , and for the next hour the two girls wrestled with the difficulties of an advanced Brachet exercise . Truth to tell , Ruth was not much more expert than Trix herself ; but she was infinitely more exact , and , by dint of hunting up back rules , and making endless references to the irregular verbs , the result achieved was fairly correct . It was ten o'clock . Betty and the three boys had departed to bed ; Mollie still sat gloating over her novel , with a forefinger thrust into either ear to shut out the sound of the disturbing discussion on moods and tenses . Trix collected her books with a sigh , and prepared to go upstairs in her turn . She looked white and tired , and the freckles on her nose seemed darker and more conspicuous than ever .