four o'clock
` Multum in Parvo , ' seeing his old comrade 's hind-quarters disappearing through the window , just took the bit between his teeth , and followed , in spite of Mr. Sponge 's every effort to turn him ; and when at length he got him hauled round , the horse was found to have decorated himself with a sky-blue _ visite _ trimmed with Honiton lace , which he wore like a charger on his way to the Crusades , or a steed bearing a knight to the Eglinton tournament . Quick as it happened , and soon as it was over , all Laverick Wells seemed to have congregated in the street as our heroes rode out of the folding glass-doors . -LSB- Illustration -RSB- About a fortnight after the above catastrophe , and as the recollection of it was nearly effaced by Miss Jumpheavy 's abduction of Ensign Downley , our friend , Mr. Waffles , on visiting his stud at the four o'clock stable-hour , found a most respectable , middle-aged , rosy-gilled , better-sort-of-farmer-looking man , straddling his tight drab-trousered legs , with a twisted ash plant propping his chin , behind the redoubtable Hercules . He had a bran-new hat on , a velvet-collared blue coat with metal buttons , that anywhere but in the searching glare and contrast of London might have passed for a spic-and-span new one ; a small , striped , step-collared toilanette vest ; and the aforesaid drab trousers , in the right-hand pocket of which his disengaged hand kept fishing up and slipping down an avalanche of silver , which made a pleasant musical accompaniment to his monetary conversation . On seeing Mr. Waffles , the stranger touched his hat , and appeared to be about to retire , when Mr. Figg , the stud-groom , thus addressed his master : ` This be Mr. Buckram , sir , of London , sir ; says he knows our brown ` orse , sir . ' ` Ah , indeed , ' observed Mr. Waffles , taking a cigar from his mouth ; ` knows no good of him , I should think .