noon
A little later he stopped abruptly , with silent inquiry turning his face to the sky : a raindrop had fallen on his hand . Two or three drops struck his face as he waited . It had been very cold that morning , too cold for him to come out to work . Though by noon it had moderated , it was cold still ; but out of the warmer currents of the upper atmosphere , which was now the noiseless theatre of great changes going forward unshared as yet by the strata below , sank these icy globules of the winter rain . Their usual law is to freeze during descent into the crystals of snow ; rarely they harden after they fall , covering the earth with sleet . David , by a few quick circular motions of the wrist , freed his left hand from the half-broken hemp , leaving the bundle trailing across the brake . Then he hurried to the heap of well-cleaned fibre : that must not be allowed to get wet .