about two o'clock
And now began for these two a painfulness of waiting days , the sleep of both , meanwhile , being one nightmare of confused affrights , balloons and deliriums . Ten times they re-discussed every possibility of the scheme , Hogarth giving messages for Loveday , heaping counsels upon Bates . Nothing remained to be said , and still the days passed over the time-worn hearts , till a month went by . At last something was observed in the sky -- afar to the N.W. -- in the afternoon turn , about two o'clock , a mist on the moor , but the sky almost cloudless . Whereupon Hogarth , who first saw the object , stepped , as if looking for something , close to Bates , hissing : `` _ Goodbye ! _ Keep cool -- choose well -- '' Bates shovelled on steadily , as though this was a day like others ; but twice his knees gave and bent beneath him ; and there was a twitching of the livid under-lip , piteous to see . It drew nearer , that silent needle , while Bates worked , delving , barrowing , making little trips ; plenty of time ; and no one noted his lip which pulled and twitched .