eight o'clock
He had learned a lot about space , but it remained curiously inconceivable to him . He felt the frost-fringed thrill . `` Now we know -- a little , '' he chortled , after he stood again , just in his usual garb . It was almost eight o'clock . Gimp Hines had n't gone to supper , or to celebrate decision on one of the last evenings of any kind of freedom from work . He could n't wait for that ... Under fluorescent lights , he was threading wire through miniature grommets , hurrying to complete the full-size ionic drive . He said , `` Hi , Frank , '' and let his eyes drop , again , into absorption in his labors .