About ten o'clock
Ten minutes after he passed the Crossroads Elder Harricutt went across the Highway toward Economy to his day 's work , and he would have loved to have seen Billy , and his rusty old wheel , staggering along in that crazy way and smelling of whiskey like a whole moonshiner , fairly reeking with whiskey as he joggled down the road , and a queer little tinkle now and then just inside his blouse as if he carried loaded dice . Oh , he would have loved to have caught Billy shooting crap ! But he was too late , and Billy swam on , the sun growing hotter on his aching head , the light more blinding to his blood shot eyes , the lump bigger and bluer on his grimy forehead . About ten o'clock a car came by , slowed down , the driver watching Billy , though Billy took no note of him . Billy was looking on the ground dreaming he was searching for the state line . He had a crazy notion it oughtta be there somewhere . The man in the car stopped and called to him : `` How about putting your wheel in the back seat and letting me give you a lift ?