About 9 o'clock
`` Do let your victuals stop your mouth , '' said Miss Grundy , `` and do n't act as though we never had coffee and biscuit for breakfast before . '' `` My memory has failed wonderfully , if we ever did , '' was Uncle Peter 's reply . Breakfast being over , Mary as usual commenced clearing the table , but Miss Grundy bade her `` sit down and _ rest _ her , '' and Mary obeyed , wondering what she had done to tire herself . About 9 o'clock , Mr. Knight drove up alone , Mrs. Mason being sick with nervous headache . `` I should have been here sooner , '' said he , `` but the roads is awful rough and old Charlotte has got a stub or somethin' in her foot But where 's the gal ? Ai n't she ready ? '' He was answered by Mary herself , who made her appearance , followed by Billy bearing the box .