6 P.M.
It was half past three when Eleanor started over to the main building to deposit her theme in one of the tin boxes which Miss Raymond and her assistants opened at specified hours on specified days , -- not , as Mary Brooks explained , because they wanted what was in the boxes , but because they wished to discover what was not in them , in order that they might make life a burden for those whose themes were late . Just ahead of Eleanor a little freshman walked up to the box and slipped in a stamped envelope . `` Pardon me , but this is n't a mail-box , '' explained Eleanor . `` Why , it says ` Collections made at 6 P.M. Tuesdays and Thursdays , ' '' gasped the little freshman . Then she glanced at the heading , '' ` Themes of Second Class , L to Z. ' Oh , I thought of course that said United States Mail . '' `` Evidently you 're fortunate enough not to have elected themes . When you do , remember that the collections are as prompt as the postman 's , '' said Eleanor .