three o'clock in the afternoon
`` I do n't like June floods , '' he told Tom North . `` A fellow can understand an ordinary spring freshet , and knows about how far it will go ; but these summer floods are so confounded mysterious . I ca n't figure out what 's struck the old stream , unless they 're having almighty heavy rains up near headwaters . '' By three o'clock in the afternoon Jimmy Powers reported a rise since morning of six inches . The current had proportionately increased in power . `` Tom , '' said Orde to the old riverman , `` I 'm going to send Marsh down for the pile-drivers and some cable . The barge company has some fifteen inch manilla . ''