noon
`` Let me see , '' soliloquized he , as he read aloud , `` this is Friday ; Saturday , expect war records from Adjutant-General ; Monday , hear from Ernst , surprise party in the evening ; Tuesday , get money at express office ; Tuesday afternoon , buy Hill 's grocery and give Strout his first knock-out ; Wednesday , see Stackpole and Smith and arrange to knock Strout out again ; Thursday , Dr. Tillotson . '' He laughed and closed the book . Then he said , `` And the city fellows think it must be dull down here because there is nothing going on in a country town in the winter . '' The next day was Saturday ; the sun did not show itself from behind the clouds till noon , and Quincy put off his trip to the Eastborough Centre post office with the hope that the afternoon would be pleasant . His wish was gratified , and at dinner he said he was going to drive over to Eastborough Centre , and asked Miss Pettengill if she would not like to accompany him . Alice hesitated , but Uncle Ike advised her to go , telling her that she stayed indoors too much and needed outdoor exercise . Ezekiel agreed with his uncle , and Alice finally gave what seemed to Quincy to be a somewhat reluctant consent .