4:20
All the afternoon Bart had worked at the desk or helped in getting out packages and boxes for delivery . A little handcart was among the office equipment , and very often Bart did light delivering . On this especial day , however , in addition to the regular freight , Fourth of July and general picnic and celebration goods more than trebled the usual volume , and they had hired a local teamster to assist them . With the 4:20 train came a new consignment . The back room was now nearly full of cases of fruit , a grand boxed-up display of fireworks for Colonel Harrington , the village magnate , another for a local club , some minor boxes for private family use , and extra orders from the city for the village storekeepers . It was an unusual and highly inflammable heap , and when tired Mr. Sterling went home to snatch a bite of something to eat , and lazy Lem Wacker came strolling into the place , pipe in full blast , Bart had not hesitated to exercise his brief authority . A spark among that tinder pile would mean sure and swift destruction .