noon
Mr. Carter had revealed himself to the constabulary as one of the chief luminaries of Scotland Yard ; and if he had wanted to dig up the foundations of the cathedral , they would scarcely have ventured to interfere with his design . One of the constables was lounging by the water 's edge , watching the men as they prepared for business . `` I have no need to write a minute record of that miserable day . I know that I walked up and down , up and down , backwards and forwards , upon the soddened grass , from noon till sundown , always thinking that I would go away presently , always lingering a little longer ; hindered by the fancy that Mr. Carter 's search was on the point of being successful . I know that for hour after hour the grating sound of the iron drags grinding on the gravelly bed of the stream sounded in my tired ears , and yet there was no result . I know that rusty scraps of worn-out hardware , dead bodies of cats and dogs , old shoes laden with pebbles , rank entanglements of vegetable corruption , and all manner of likely and unlikely rubbish , were dragged out of the stream , and thrown aside upon the bank . `` The detective grew dirtier and slimier and wetter as the day wore on ; but still he did not lose heart . ''