about four
o'clock in the afternoon
Out in the Asian desert on the 24th of May the temperature is such that you can cook eggs if you only cover them with a little sand . Zeal was not wanting , and the passengers worked as hard as they had done the night before . The line was gradually completed . One by one the sleepers were replaced , the rails were laid end to end , and about four o'clock in the afternoon the gap was bridged . At once the engine began to advance slowly , the cars following until they were over the temporary track and safe again . Now the road is clear to Tcharkalyk ; what do I say ? to Pekin .