about four o'clock
Afternoon came , and the shadows of the low hills were thrown far across the stream . Here and there a splash denoted that the fish were waking from their midday torpor and were ready for prey . Little Tim resumed his rod , and slowly retraced his steps along the shore in the direction of Ellison dam and Benton . It was about four o'clock as he neared a point in the stream a half-mile above the dam , where the water flowed very quietly past the edge of some thick alders . There were pickerel in that water . Tim knew the place of old ; and he drew near softly , to make a cast . The bright troll fell with a tinkle on the still surface , and he drew it temptingly past the thicket .