nine o'clock
Their boxes had been dispatched the previous day , their hand-bags had gone on by cart before breakfast and would be waiting for them at the station , where Jones , that most useful factotum , would , by special arrangement with the station-master , be taking their tickets before the ordinary opening of the booking-office . Though the departure of sixteen girls made somewhat of a clearance at Chilcombe Hall , Miss Walters ' labors were not yet over . There was a train at eight and a train at ten , and the young people who had to wait for these found it difficult to know how to employ the interval until it was their turn to enter the taxis . By nine o'clock Lilias and Dulcie , ready in their riding habits , were looking eagerly out of the dining-hall window along the drive which led to the gate . `` I know Elton would be early , '' said Dulcie . `` It 's always Astley who stops and fusses . It was the same when Everard went cub-hunting .