three o'clock
Miss Mary Leicester was taken up with the important business of her own invalidism , but it might be a very good thing for her to take some part in such pleasant plans . Under all Aunt Barbara 's shyness and habit of formality Betty had discovered her warm and generous heart . They had become fast friends , and , to tell the truth , Aunt Mary was beginning to have an uneasy and wistful consciousness that she was causing herself to be left out of many pleasures . The gloom and general concern at the time of the Fosters ' sorrow had caused the first club meeting to be postponed until early in August ; and then , though August weather would not seem so good for out-of-door expeditions , this one Wednesday dawned like a cool , clear June day , and at three o'clock the fresh easterly wind had not ceased to blow and yet had not brought in any seaward clouds . There were eleven boys and girls , and Miss Barbara Leicester made twelve , while with the two Picknells the club counted fourteen . The Fosters promised to come later in the summer , but they did not feel in the least hurt because some of their friends urged them to join in cheerful company this very day . It seemed to Betty as if Nelly looked brighter and somehow unafraid , now that the first miserable weeks had gone .