about six o'clock
She looked from the window and saw Henchard and Farfrae in the hay-yard talking , with that impetuous cordiality on the Mayor 's part , and genial modesty on the younger man 's , that was now so generally observable in their intercourse . Friendship between man and man ; what a rugged strength there was in it , as evinced by these two . And yet the seed that was to lift the foundation of this friendship was at that moment taking root in a chink of its structure . It was about six o'clock ; the men were dropping off homeward one by one . The last to leave was a round-shouldered , blinking young man of nineteen or twenty , whose mouth fell ajar on the slightest provocation , seemingly because there was no chin to support it . Henchard called aloud to him as he went out of the gate , `` Here -- Abel Whittle ! '' Whittle turned , and ran back a few steps .