His mother gave him leave to ask any body to help him that he pleased.

Mary, after some reflection, recommended that, whenever he was not dressed in time, he was to have only one lump of sugar, instead of four, in his tumbler of water for breakfast.
His usual drink at breakfast was a tumbler of water, with four lumps of sugar in it.

The first bell was rung at half-past six, and breakfast was at half-past seven.

His sister recommended that, as half an hour was ample time for the work of dressing, Egbert should go down every morning and report himself ready before the clock struck seven.

If he failed of this, he was to have only one lump of sugar, instead of four, in his glass of water.
There was some question about the necessity of requiring him to be ready before seven; Egbert being inclined to argue that if he was ready by breakfast-time, that would be enough.