ten o'clock
But he did not arrive to take it ; and she waited on . Nine o'clock arrived , and the breakfast was cold ; and still there was no Giles . A thrush , that had been repeating itself a good deal on an opposite bush for some time , came and took a morsel from the plate and bolted it , waited , looked around , and took another . At ten o'clock she drew in the tray , and sat down to her own solitary meal . He must have been called away on business early , the rain having cleared off . Yet she would have liked to assure herself , by thoroughly exploring the precincts of the hut , that he was nowhere in its vicinity ; but as the day was comparatively fine , the dread lest some stray passenger or woodman should encounter her in such a reconnoitre paralyzed her wish . The solitude was further accentuated to-day by the stopping of the clock for want of winding , and the fall into the chimney-corner of flakes of soot loosened by the rains .