four o'clock
`` I 'm thankful you thought of it , my boy . I 've been troubling about Bella 's having that long walk in all weathers , and the mornings and evenings getting darker and darker . Rocket 's a good steady donkey too , I remember him ; 't was I advised poor old Mother Wintle to buy him , '' and he laughed at the recollection . The laugh raised Bella 's spirits again , and their tongues wagged so fast after that , that when the bell rang at four o'clock for the visitors to leave , they felt sure there must have been a mistake . `` It ca n't be more than three ! '' said Bella , quite distressed . But all the clocks in the town were striking four , and all the other visitors in the ward were preparing to leave .