Twelve o'clock
The hands worked on in silence , for they were in no mood for talking , and not only that , but they were afraid that Hunter or Rushton or Crass might be watching them from behind some bush or tree , or through some of the windows . This dread possessed them to such an extent that most of them were almost afraid even to look round , and kept steadily on at work . None of them wished to spoil his chance of being kept on to help to do the other house that it was reported Rushton & Co. were going to ` do up ' for Mr Sweater . Twelve o'clock came at last , and Crass 's whistle had scarcely ceased to sound before they all assembled in the kitchen before the roaring fire . Sweater had sent in two tons of coal and had given orders that fires were to be lit every day in nearly every room to make the house habitable by Christmas . ` I wonder if it 's true as the firm 's got another job to do for old Sweater ? ' remarked Harlow as he was toasting a bloater on the end of the pointed stick .