about four o'clock
Having cut away the lowest tier , he stepped off the ladder , climbed a few steps higher , and attacked those at the next level . Thus he ascended with the progress of his work far above the top of the ladder , cutting away his perches as he went , and leaving nothing but a bare stem below him . The work was troublesome , for the tree was large . The afternoon wore on , turning dark and misty about four o'clock . From time to time Giles cast his eyes across towards the bedroom window of South , where , by the flickering fire in the chamber , he could see the old man watching him , sitting motionless with a hand upon each arm of the chair . Beside him sat Marty , also straining her eyes towards the skyey field of his operations . A curious question suddenly occurred to Winterborne , and he stopped his chopping .