quarter to nine
He had limped along the road from the clean-looking little yellow house that he owned not far away on the river-bank , and his mind was upon his errand . `` I come over early to ask the shild would n't she come home wit ' me an ' ate her dinner , '' said Patrick . `` Herself sent me ; she 's got a great wash the day , last week being so rainy , an ' we niver got word of Nora being here till this morning , and then everybody had it that passed by , wondering what got us last night that we were n't there . '' '' ' T was on the quarter to nine she come , '' said Uncle Mike , taking up the narrative with importance . `` Herself an ' me had blown out the light , going to bed , when there come a scuttlin ' at the door and I heard a bit of a laugh like the first bird in the morning '' -- '' ` Stop where you are , Bridget , ' says I , '' continued Mr. Quin , without taking any notice , '' ` an ' I 'll take me third leg and walk over and bring Nora down to you . ' Bridget 's great for the news from home now , for all she was so sharp to be l'aving it . '' `` She brought me a fine present , and the mate of it for yourself , '' said Mike Duffy .