nearly eight o'clock
The hammer went on again . One man stretched himself and yawned with the whole Midsummer holiday in his jaws . `` Up on Grefsen ridge , cold punch had flowed down the hill as good as free . Veyergang 's son had given the girls at the factory an old boat from Maridal Lake and half a barrel of pitch ; heard the cuckoo and had larks all night -- came down again when it was nearly eight o'clock . '' The hammer rang no longer . `` Veyergang 's son -- the girls at Veyergang 's factory ! '' Nikolai stood , anxious and uncertain , listening , and now and again glancing quickly and sharply over at the man who was speaking .