four o'clock
She halted to look at a bare-legged boy , who with his straw hat was seining a rivulet . Telling the time by the sun , she dismounted at noon and in the shade of a wild plum thicket , ate her luncheon , while the mare cropped the sweet road-side grass . But it was not intended that her journey should be without event . Along toward four o'clock she came to a bridge across a small stream . The planks were worn with heavy hauling -- the whole thing dangerous , and into a hole the mare 's foot sank . She floundered , fell , and when Margaret , unhurt , arose out of the dust , she saw with horror that the poor creature 's leg was broken . The mare floundered to the road-side and then in misery sank upon the ground .