Then they looked up at the big clock on the mantle-piece, and just then they cried, “The big clock is nine o’clock, too.”
At this very minute the big clock began to strike.
The Ink-Bottle Babies held their breath and counted the strokes of the clock.
They counted the strokes on their fingers!
Sure enough, the big clock struck nine.
“Hurrah!” cried the Babies. “We are learning to tell the time.”
Just then there was heard a gentle tap at the door. The door opened and in walked an Ink-Bottle Baby. She wore a red dress and a red sunbonnet.
She said,
“How do you do? I am tired, too;
May I come in and sit with you?”