three o'clock
It was to be called Arctic Discovery -- and she was to be the chief discoverer . As she fancied herself -- starving but scientific , chilled to the bone , yet undaunted -- discovering a north-west passage at the upper end of the goose pond , the clock struck three from the old church tower . Madam Liberality heard it with a pang . At three o'clock -- if he had had her shillings -- she would have been expecting the return of the carrier , with the presents for her Christmas-tree . Even as she thought about it , the old hooded waggon came lumbering down among the snow-drifts in the lane . There was a bunch of mistletoe at the head , and the old carrier went before the horse , and the dog went before the carrier . And they were all three up to their knees in snow , and all three had their noses down , as much as to say , `` Such is life ; but we must struggle on . ''