five minutes to nine
`` Wish we had time to run over to the Bobolinks and order fifty thousand of these letters , '' suggested Dot . `` Oh , would n't it be fun to see their faces ! '' laughed Norma . `` Maybe we will have time -- it is only five minutes to nine , '' announced Mrs. Talmage , looking at her watch . `` We can try it -- we will walk down the path , and if we find they are leaving we can keep our own council until another night , '' said Mrs. Talmage , as everyone rose hurriedly to go . The children hurried on before , while the ladies followed more sedately . The heavy doors were closed , but an opening about a foot wide left space enough for Ruth to squeeze through and pull one of the sliding doors along the groove to admit the other visitors .