noon
`` It 's twelve o'clock , grandfather . Let 's go in ; the fish have quit biting . '' The old man glanced at the sun , which had passed beyond the crest of the Vedrá . It was not yet noon , but it lacked little . Then he looked at the sea ; the señor was right ; the fish would bite no longer , and he was satisfied with his day 's work . He tugged at the rope with his lean arms , hoisting the small triangular sail . The boat heeled over , pitched without making headway , and then began to cleave the water with a gentle ripple against her sides .