five o'clock
Rebecca , given a free hand for the only time in her life , dashed upstairs like a whirlwind . Every room in the brick house was as neat as wax , and she had only to pull up the shades , go over the floors with a whisk broom , and dust the furniture . The aunts could hear her scurrying to and fro , beating up pillows and feather beds , flapping towels , jingling crockery , singing meanwhile in her clear voice : -- `` In vain with lavish kindness The gifts of God are strown ; The heathen in his blindness Bows down to wood and stone . '' She had grown to be a handy little creature , and tasks she was capable of doing at all she did like a flash , so that when she called her aunts at five o'clock to pass judgment , she had accomplished wonders . There were fresh towels on bureaus and washstands , the beds were fair and smooth , the pitchers were filled , and soap and matches were laid out ; newspaper , kindling , and wood were in the boxes , and a large stick burned slowly in each air-tight stove . `` I thought I 'd better just take the chill off , '' she explained , `` as they 're right from Syria ; and that reminds me , I must look it up in the geography before they get here . '' There was nothing to disapprove , so the two sisters went downstairs to make some slight changes in their dress .