twelve o'clock
Bill grunted his disagreement with the diagnosis , and lapsed into silence . The day was like all the days . Light came at nine o'clock . At twelve o'clock the southern horizon was warmed by the unseen sun ; and then began the cold grey of afternoon that would merge , three hours later , into night . It was just after the sun 's futile effort to appear , that Bill slipped the rifle from under the sled-lashings and said : `` You keep right on , Henry , I 'm goin ' to see what I can see . '' `` You 'd better stick by the sled , '' his partner protested . `` You 've only got three cartridges , an ' there 's no tellin ' what might happen . ''