noon
From the dormitory window the river was visible for a quarter of a mile as it curved slowly to the south between Winthrop Academy and the town bridge . It was late February , and for two days the mercury had lingered around fifty degrees . Along the nearest shore the ice still held , but in midstream and across by the Peterboro side the river , swollen by melting snow and ice , flowed in a turbid , ice-strewn torrent . For a while at noon the sun had shone , but now , at four o'clock , the clouds had gathered and the moist air coming in at the open window of the room suggested rain . `` There 's plenty of ice along this bank , '' answered Ned cheerfully , `` and as it may be the last chance I 'll get to skate I 'm going to make the most of it . I promised Tom Thurber and Herb Welch I 'd meet them at four . I must get a move on . ''