about half past three
Past thatched wayside cottages whose inhabitants came out to wave their hands in friendly greeting . Past groups of sunburnt , golden-haired children who climbed on fences and five-barred gates , and waved their hats and cheered , or ran behind the brakes for the pennies the men threw down to them . From time to time the men in the brakes made half-hearted attempts at singing , but it never came to much , because most of them were too hungry and miserable . They had not had time to take any dinner and would not have taken any even if they had the time , for they wished to reserve their appetites for the banquet at the Queen Elizabeth , which they expected to reach about half past three . However , they cheered up a little after the first halt -- at the Blue Lion , where most of them got down and had a drink . Some of them , including the Semi-drunk , Ned Dawson , Bill Bates and Joe Philpot -- had two or three drinks , and felt so much happier for them that , shortly after they started off again , sounds of melody were heard from the brake the three first named rode in -- the one presided over by Crass -- but it was not very successful , and even after the second halt -- about five miles further on -- at the Warrior 's Head , they found it impossible to sing with any heartiness . Fitful bursts of song arose from time to time from each of the brakes in turn , only to die mournfully away .