two o'clock
He rose every morning at four o'clock , before any of the family were stirring ; dressed himself neatly , read a portion of the Holy Scriptures by candle-light , said his prayers , ate a cold breakfast that had been laid out for him the night before , and set off to walk five miles to his schoolhouse . He usually reached it at half-past six ; opened and aired the room , and made the fire ; and then sat down to read law until the arrival of the hour for the commencement of the studies . He taught diligently until twelve o'clock ; then he dismissed the pupils for two hours to go home and get their dinners ; he ate the cold luncheon of bread and cheese or meat that he had brought with him ; and set off to walk briskly the distance of a mile and a half to Shelton , where the court was in session , and where he spent an hour watching their proceedings and taking notes . He got back to his school at two o'clock ; called in his pupils for the afternoon session , and taught diligently until six o'clock in the afternoon , when he dismissed them for the day , shut up the schoolhouse , and set off to walk home . He usually reached Woodside at about seven o'clock , where he found them waiting tea for him . As this was the only meal Ishmael could take home , Hannah always took care that it should be a comfortable and abundant one . After tea he would give Reuben his lesson in bookkeeping , post up the day 's accounts , and then retire to his room to study for an hour or two before going to bed .