six o'clock in the morning
The next morning Caroline got up much earlier than her usual time for rising , but not so early as she intended , for there was a good deal of hard work before her garden could be made neat again . Dressing herself quickly , she ran out , not even taking time to put on her bonnet , so eager was she to begin ; when to her surprise , there was Herbert busy at work with a trowel smoothing the ground and propping up the earth round the crushed flowers . She stood for some time scarcely believing it possible , half thinking she must be dreaming ; for Herbert was so fond of his bed , once he was in it , that it was always a very difficult matter to get him out of it . Now here he was , at six o'clock in the morning , hard at work , as if his very life depended upon it . She ventured at last to step close up to him , and tapped him on the shoulder , not very sure whether he would feel angry or pleased to be caught at his novel employment . She did not notice that her mamma was standing by the garden gate ; for Mrs. Ashcroft , having a bad headache , had got up early also , and had come out , in the hope that the morning air would take it away . `` It is very good of you , dear Herbert , '' said Caroline , while their mamma paused to look at her children .