three o'clock in
the afternoon
or , ` Dear me , you troublesome creature ! you 've made me so nervous ! ' '' Every one laughed to hear Tom mimic Finnikin , he did it so well ; but , when they saw that the little girl herself was troubled by it , they left off directly , and began to talk of other things ; and Tom came and tucked a big green apple into her pocket , and a lump of maple-sugar into her hand . Then Peter and Merry , who had always been used to waiting upon themselves , and doing all the work they were able to do , showed the other children many things which they needed to know , and helped them in so many ways , that the troubles of the morning were soon forgotten ; and when , after clearing away the dinner , the little people all came out to play upon the green , they agreed to crown Peter and Merry King , and Queen of Merrigoland from three o'clock in the afternoon until sunset , because they were the only boy and girl in all the land who knew how to do the work that must every day be done to make us all comfortable . But Peter and Merry , who were very sensible as well as very good-natured children , said , -- `` No , no , no ! There shall be no kings or queens in Merrigoland . We will teach you all that we know , and you shall teach us all that you know , and so we will help each other ; and no one shall think himself better than any one else , or forget that none of us can do well without the help of all the rest . ''