four
in the morning
The ten-mile walk they forgot all about , they only thought of the pleasure of being in the midst of all the people and the bustle , and the shops and market-stalls , with their loads of fruit and sweets and buns . The great aim of Margery 's life then was to grow big enough to carry in a basketful of flowers too , and sell them , and to possess a purse to put the money in , and a Savings Bank book , just as Bella had . As the summer wore on and the days grew hotter and hotter , the eagerness of both died down a good deal . It was far more pleasant , they found , to stay at home and play in the cool lane or orchard , than to get up at four in the morning and tramp about all day long under the weight of heavy baskets . Some days they even found it too hot to walk with their father as far as the milestone . Those were trying , tiring days for Tom and Bella , days that put their courage to the test , and made their perseverance waver more than once . The walk in the morning was lovely still , but the standing about in the close , narrow streets , crowded with people and animals , without even a rest at the end of their five-mile walk , was so wearying that Bella often longed to sit down on the edge of the pavement to rest her aching feet .