the April sun of midday
`` Of course I know . I was after pirates and I 've got the toughest gang in the north country . Feed 'em raw meat , Latisan ! '' Over the snow , which was slushy under the April sun of midday , and finally into Adonia over the rutted grit that the evening chill had frozen , the baron of the Noda was driven to the door of his mansion on the ledges . Latisan had picked up men at the tavern as helpers . A hail brought out a little old man whose white , close beard and fluffy hair gave his face the appearance of a likeness set into a frame of cotton batting . It was Rickety Dick ; Brophy had told Latisan about him .