five
minutes past nine
He lowered this by two seconds , and went downstairs . The house was empty . In the passage that led to the dining-room he looked at the clock , and his heart turned a somersault . _ It was five minutes past nine . _ Not only was he late for breakfast , but late for school , too . Never before had he brought off the double event . There was a little unpleasantness in his form room when he stole in at seven minutes past the hour .