three o'clock in
the afternoon
`` I do n't know if I 've said enough , or said too much , but Bob goes back in three days and could take a message . '' The color crept into Helen 's face , and her look was strangely soft . `` Let him tell Stephen to finish his work as well as he can ; say I understand . '' Tossing snowflakes filled the air , and although it was three o'clock in the afternoon the light was fading , when Charnock opened the door of the caboose . A bitter wind rushed past him and eddied about the car , making the stove crackle . The iron was red-hot in places and a fierce twinkle shone out beneath the rattling door . Half-seen men lay in the bunks along the shadowy wall , tools jingled upon the throbbing boards , but the motion was gentler than usual and the wheels churned softly instead of hammering .