five minutes past ten
Out of this life of roast lamb and lies , domesticity and evasions , the Applebys plunged into a tremor of rebellious plotting . They sat in their room , waiting for the Hartwigs to go to bed . Every five minutes Father tiptoed to the door and listened . At five minutes past ten he shook his fingers with joy . He heard the Hartwig family discursively lumbering up to bed . He stood at the door , unmoving , till the house was quiet , while Mother nervously hung their farewell note on the electric light , and slipped into her overcoat and the small black hat that was no longer new and would scarce be impressive to Matilda Tubbs now . They had decided to abandon the steamer-trunk , though Mother made a bundle of the more necessary things .