nine o'clock
So he crossed the creek , got off his horse and set down in the shade , and took a drink out o ' the jug and fell asleep again . After a while he woke up and looked around , and says he : ` Here I am again , and here 's the creek , and yonder 's that old kittle jest as natural as life . But what I want to know is , am I agoin ' to town , or am I comin ' back home ? ' And he looked at the sun , and says he , ` Judgin ' by the way that sun looks , it might be nine o'clock in the mornin ' , and it might be three o'clock in the evenin ' ; and not bein ' a Solomon I ai n't able to decide which it is , but I 'll take my chances and go across the creek . ' `` So across the creek he went , took another drink , and laid down and fell asleep right by the kittle . Pretty soon he woke up the third time , and says he : ` Well , if here ai n't that old kittle again ! Howdy , Mr. Kittle !